Different government agencies cautions public to be alert against cybercrime
Qatar’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority (QFCRA), and the Ministry of Interior (MoI) shared tips to the public on how to avoid cyber scammers and secure their electronic accounts.
Scams are deceptive schemes that trick people out of their money, property, or other assets. They come in all shapes and sizes, with scammers posing as people, agencies, or companies one knows and trusts. They may happen over the phone, through email, or in person, and you may not recognize them until it’s too late.
Scammers clone websites to trick you into sharing sensitive information. Arm yourself with knowledge to stay one step ahead.@HukoomiQatar #CyberSecurity #ScamAlert #MCITQatar pic.twitter.com/SKMFg4bocn
— وزارة الاتصالات وتكنولوجيا المعلومات (@MCITQatar) July 24, 2024
One popular method of scamming is by cloning whole websites to trick people to share sensitive information. The MCIT asked people to be wary of falling for such scam websites.
“Clone websites mimic official government sites as they look identical to them. Arm yourself with the knowledge to stay one step ahead. Verify website domain extensions. All official websites in Qatar end with the extension (gov.qa), that’s your main verification,” it said.
“Check the domain name and URL. Scammers often tweak URLs to resemble real ones by misspelling domain names or using characters similar to those of official government websites. And be wary of sponsored websites. Scammers can buy ads sponsoring fake websites to appear first in search engine results,” the Ministry added.
The QFCRA also issued a slew of guidelines to detect scams and steer clear of them.
“Asking you to act now – The key to successful impostor scams is getting you to send money before you find out who’s on the other end. The more time you’ve, the more likely you’ll figure it out. Resist the pressure to act immediately before you’ve checked out the matter,” the QFCRA said.
“Contacted unexpectedly – When someone you’ve never heard of contacts you and asks for your personal information. If you are a customer of a bank or financial firm, they’ll never call you and ask for personal details such as your identification card, account number, or SMS login number.
“Get rich quick money – Easy money does not exist. You’re being conned into believing you’ll make a lot of money overnight if you transfer to the scammer,” QFCRA said.
Do not share any personal information over the phone and do not answer unknown calls.#Stay_Aware pic.twitter.com/WvOzBjHGiZ
— Ministry of Interior - Qatar (@MOI_QatarEn) August 4, 2024
Phishing is another popular type of internet fraud, where scammers use email or text messages to trick you into giving them your private information (Username, password, account number, etc).
“The scammers will try to use this information to steal your identity and money from your bank accounts or other accounts where you hold assets. Phishing emails and text messages may look like they’re from a company you know or trust. The scammer will try to trick you into opening a link or an attachment,” the QFCRA said.
The QFCRA also gave some pointers towards successfully recognising a phishing email or text message.
“Some of the claims are that there is a problem with your account or your payment information, a claim that you have just won money and you need to click the link to redeem it, an offer of a coupon for free things, or a request that you must confirm personal information. But you should never click on a link within an email that requests you to enter private information and never reveal your full password to an account to anyone if it is requested,” the entity said.
Protection tips against electronic fraud while travelling. #Stay_Aware pic.twitter.com/mNq1oBTmE4
— QFC Regulatory Authority هيئة تنظيم مركز قطر للمال (@QFCRA) July 14, 2024
Meanwhile, the MoI advised people to ensure the safety of their electronic accounts while travelling outside Qatar.
“Ensure all your devices are protected with strong passwords and keep all your devices updated with the latest software. Avoid connecting to public Wi-Fi, especially when conducting transactions. Enable multi-factor authentication for all your accounts, and never leave your devices unattended in public areas. Stay vigilant and keep yourself safe and secure while travelling,” the ministry said.
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