Dubai Police warns residents of SIM Scam; says: In light of the current circumstances ...

Dubai Police has now issued a public waning about the rising wave of SIM swap scams, urging residents to remain vigilant as fraudsters are exploiting the ongoing regional conflict to pose as crisis management officials. Dubai Police shared a post of social platform X (formerly know as Twitter) urging the users to not disclose their personal details or respond to any suspicious calls or messages. The warning shared by Dubai Police highlights how scammers are trying to gain control of mobile numbers by tricking users into handing over their verification codes or personal data, enabling them to access the banking apps, social media accounts and other sensitive information.

This warning from the Dubai Police comes after the current crisis situation. The UAE is reeling from Iran's missile and drone strikes following US and Israeli strikes on Iran. The Iranian strikes reportedly hit airports, ports, and residential areas across the country and the wider Gulf.

Dubai Police’s official alert

“In light of the current circumstances, Dubai Police have detected attempts by fraudsters to exploit recent developments by impersonating employees purportedly affiliated with the “Dubai Crisis Management” department and falsely claiming links to Dubai Police.

These attempts aim to unlawfully obtain sensitive information, including UAE Pass credentials and Emirates ID details.

Dubai Police caution that disclosing such data may enable criminals to carry out SIM swap operations and gain unauthorised access to bank accounts through mobile banking applications.

Dubai Police affirm that they do not request confidential information or verification codes via telephone calls or text messages under any circumstances.

Members of the public are strongly urged not to share personal or banking information with any unverified party and to report any suspected fraudulent activity immediately through official channels by calling 901 or via the eCrime platform dedicated to cybercrime reports,” wrote Dubai Police on X.

How the SIM swapping scam works

SIM swap fraud typically involves criminals convincing telecom providers to transfer a victim’s phone number to a new SIM card. Once successful, scammers can intercept one-time passwords (OTPs) and gain access to financial accounts. Dubai Police stressed that residents should never share OTPs, PINs, or account details, and should immediately report suspicious activity.