Daijiworld Media Network - Abu Dhabi (SS)

Abu Dhabi, Apr 16: A few days ago, the Abu Dhabi Police and Abu Dhabi Digital Authority issued a notice warning residents to beware of a fake website that claims to be the Abu Dhabi. This fake site has been asking residents to pay 3,000 AED to avoid locking of their laptops and personal computers and avoid criminal charges for watching inappropriate content online.

The message on the fake website that started surfacing on the January 3 read, “Your browser has been blocked due to viewing and dissemination of materials forbidden by law of United Arab Emirates, namely pornography with pedophilia, rape and zoophilia. In order to unlock it, you should pay a Dh 3,000 fine with Visa or MasterCard.”

The fake message further informs the user that once the fine is paid, for which they had 6 hours, their browser shall be unlocked automatically. It also went on to say that in case of non-payment of the fine, or attempts to unlock the device independently, they shall face criminal proceedings for committing a crime.

This fraud has been rising recently since most residents spend time at home, surfing the internet. Authorities have advised people to not respond to these messages, click on any links provided on the fake website, and to stay vigilant. They further cautioned not to provide bank account details and ignore similar suspicious sites.