Did you also receive a link that contains a promotion that offers 2,022 free gifts as part of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority’s (DEWA) 30th anniversary celebrations?
Be warned because it’s a phishing scam!
The utility provider urged residents not to click the link or open attachments from unknown emails claiming to be DEWA.
The suspicious link is now being sent through WhatsApp.
“Be careful of phishing messages. Inspect the senders’ email address before you open it; hackers can use emails to access your personal information including your credit cards,” DEWA warned.
When clicked, the link shows a message: “Congratulations! Dubai Electricity and Water Authority – DEWA 30th anniversary celebration.”
The link then asked to fill out a short questionnaire. After filling out the questionnaire, a set of nine boxes flash on the screen. The page will instruct to choose one of them to ‘win’ a free gift which includes AED8,000 in cash.
After choosing a ‘gift’, the user is then encouraged to share the message with five WhatsApp groups or 20 friends. The winner is also requested to download an app and enter their email address to receive the gift within five to seven days.
“Cybercriminals can use the data to defraud you via identity theft. They can also use the link to install malware on your phone,” a cyber expert was quoted as saying by Khaleej Times.
