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The Abu Dhabi Police warned local UAE businesses against a surge of international hackers’ attacks that is depleting its business deals’ savings using fraudulent means such as hacking correspondence related to confidential transactions with foreign businesses.
The Abu Dhabi Police emphasized the need to combat such attacks by raising social awareness and professional insight. Moreover, it urged businesses to use safe and modern protection software, and abstain from sending business correspondence using personal email accounts that can be easily hacked.
Colonel Dr. Rashid Borshid, Director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), revealed that hackers steal users’ private data to learn details and due dates of financial claims between internationally contracting parties. “This would allow them to find fraudulent means to have the assets transferred to the hackers’ account under new bank account numbers.
He indicated that some international gangs located outside the UAE have been creating fake accounts for foreign businesses, redirecting the UAE-based firms to their sites. “These gangs call on local businesses to pay their dues using the same “administrative and electronic” style, providing new bank account numbers other than the ones agreed upon between both parties, under the pretext of an error or a change in the previously approved bank account number.
As part of the Abu Dhabi Police’s awareness-raising initiative to combat cybercrime, Colonel Borshid called on all businesses not to solely rely on routine electronic correspondence for their transactions and payments, particularly when the other party unexpectedly provides new bank account numbers. He stressed the need to call the contracting party or the exporting company to validate the change in bank account numbers. Furthermore, he urged businesses to dispatch delegates or accountants to the concerned party to verify, particularly when it comes to major financial payments.
Colonel Borshid cited 2 cases recently handled by the Criminal Investigation Department. In the separate incidents, which occurred within a short period apart, a restaurant and a building materials company fell prey to an electronic fraud, where they were duped into transferring USD 150 thousand, to a Europe-based gang, and USD 100 thousand, to a gang in East Asia, respectively.
He added: “Preliminary investigations carried out by Abu Dhabi Police into the first incident revealed that a hacking occurred in the user’s email. As a result, the gang members learned of the restaurant owner’s wish to buy a new restaurant in Europe. They sent an email with a fake request and signature to the restaurant owner’s accountant (who has a power of attorney) in Abu Dhabi, asking him to transfer USD 150 thousand in two payments to the seller’s account. USD 40 thousand was retrieved due to the quick notification and timely intervention of the police.”
In the second case, Colonel Borshid indicated that the building materials company’s mail account was hacked. Upon discovering a due date of a business deal transaction, the international hacking gang members created a fake account and called on the company to transfer the due amount of USD 100 thousand to their bank account, claiming that the new bank account number is due to an error in the previously agreed upon data.
Colonel Dr. Borshid indicated that the Criminal Investigation Department managed thanks to the efforts of its national experts to locate the international hacking source. Furthermore, it communicated with the competent authorities to curtail the risk and undertake the necessary measures to track and arrest hackers to prevent future attacks.
On the same note, Colonel Borshid revealed that Abu Dhabi Police took early notice of such crimes, and set up a branch at the CID’s Organized Crime Section to combat cybercrimes. The Branch monitors suspected activities and takes legal and technical action against them, particularly in light of cybercrimes evolution and accounts’ hacking.
He called on local businesses to combat international hacking by using accredited and reliable anti-virus software, regularly changing their passwords, and updating secure operating systems and reliable applications continuously.
Director of the Criminal Investigation Department at Abu Dhabi Police warned local businesses against relying solely on electronic correspondence in their international transactions and financial claims. He also advised them to avoid keeping confidential financial information in their business messages, and to delete them immediately after use, particularly in personal accounts that are easily hacked. “It is vitally important to notify the police ASAP when suspecting any possible breach, to ensure the proper search and investigation operations, and the quick identification and arrest of offenders,” he concluded.
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