12 hours ago
Clicked a link, lost Dh2,500: New UAE scam targets online sellers
When Dubai resident N.K. advertised his coffee table on a popular website to sell preloved items, he had no idea how it would be a trap. 'On the second day of my advertisement, a person messaged me on WhatsApp and said she was interested in buying it,' he said.
'We agreed on a price, and she said she would send me a Careem Delivery to pick up the table. She then asked me to click a link and enter my card details so she could pay me. Like a fool, I clicked on the link, gave my details, and immediately got a message that Dh2,500 had been drained from my account.'
Although N.K. blocked his card immediately and raised a complaint with the bank, it was futile. 'I had heard of such scams, and I always used to wonder how people fell for it,' he said. 'I feel so angry with myself for being so naive.'
N.K. is one of the people who have fallen for a new fast-spreading scam that is doing the rounds in the UAE. On Wednesday, tech giant Careem issued an advisory warning people to not fall prey for the fraud that is taking place in its name.
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'Several users have been targeted, and we've already seen reports of near losses of up to Dh10,000,' a statement noted. 'We want to ensure users across the UAE are aware of the scam and are educated on what to look out for.'
The company added that the scam was 'especially deceptive' as the fake site used a copycat URL that appears to users as in previews but redirects to a fake website once clicked.
How the scam works
Several residents took to social media to share how the scam worked. It mostly targeted those who were seeking to sell items. After approaching a seller showing interest in buying the article they were selling, the 'buyer' claims they can pay the money into the seller's credit or debit card and get a 'Careem Delivery' service to pick it up.
The scammer then sends a link which asks the seller to enter all details of the card including the CVV code. Once the details are entered, the scammer steals money and deletes his number immediately.
The company does not offer a service titled 'Careem Delivery'. Instead, it offers a 'Careem Box' service which customers can use to send small items between two selected spots or for a captain to buy an item from a store and deliver at a pre-determined location. The company has clarified that this service is only available in Dubai.
Red flags
In its advisory, the company also advised customers to watch out for other red flags. 'Careem services can only be accessed through the official app and are not available on any third-party websites,' the statement read. It added that users should watch out for unofficial URLs, unusual payment requests and pop-up ads.
In screenshots shared by those who encountered these scammers, the URL can be seen having spelling errors.
Authorities have repeatedly warned UAE residents to be vigilant about scams and never reveal their card numbers, OTP or any such private information online or on the phone. Some residents have lost up to Dh200,000 in such rackets. Authorities regularly crackdown on such criminals.
