Saturday: 17 April 2010:
ADP nabs the gang of phone fraud
Abu Dhabi Police has nabbed the 7-member gang of cell phone fraud. All of them are Asians. Their modus operandi is that they select some mobile numbers randomly informing them that they have won a financial prize from Etisalat. Normally the prize ranges between Dh100,000 and 200,000. If the called person believes they ask him to transfer a mobile balance to the caller (Recharge card).
Colonel (Dr.) Rashid Mohammad Bu Rasheed, Head of Organized Crime Section, of ADP CID has revealed the details of the crime. They have received information that there a number of Asian persons who cheat people of their nationality through calling them on their cell phones and telling them that they have won a financial prize from Etisalat. In order to get these prizes they have to transfer a recharge balance to the caller.
Dr. Bu Rasheed said "We have noticed that all suspects are from one nationality. All of them are on visit visas. Their chief who is identified as "M. Hh. Aa." Is a resident of the UAE and he works in labor apartments' investment. He has provided the rest of the gang identified as "M. A. Aa., 22 years", "M. Aa. Sh, 36 years", "M. Hh. M, 37 years", "Aa. D. F, 34 years", "M.R. M" and "M. A. M.", he has provided them with SIM cards to make calls. After every successful operation they keep 40% of the balance transferred to them and then they transfer the remaining balance to him".
"The same modus operandi adopted in this case is adopted by other criminals. They select random numbers and tell the people that they have won a financial prize. In order to get the prize one has to transfer a recharge balance to the caller. The suspects have been referred to the public prosecution for necessary action.
The Federal Penal Law of 1987, when the suspect is convicted, awards a jail sentence or fine, when a person follows fraudulent methods or impersonation to cheat the victim. The same punishment applies if a person dispenses with real estate or properties not belonging to him or he has no right to decide on them to the extent that causes harm to others.
The Department of Technical Affairs Security Media at the Secretariat General of the Office of HH the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior has launched recently an Awareness media campaign to educate the public and community institutions on cyber fraud and scams, fraudulent SMS and calls through "Social Engineering" technology. The campaign warns people not to believe such tricks which make them live in illusory dreams.