Approximately 90% of movie-goers clicked on an SMS link that led to their phones being 'hacked' during a 'fake' scam activation at a UAE cinema. This social experiment involved a bot interacting with 220 movie-goers before the film began. The initiative was part of Emirates NBD's campaign to alert customers about the increasing fraud and scams in the region. It was conducted in partnership with the Dubai Police and the UAE Central Bank.
As part of the 'scam', a bot appeared on the VOX Cinemas movie screen, asking movie-goers if they wanted free popcorn. A location-based broadcaster sent an SMS, with the bot on the screen urging patrons to click on the link in the message for their free snack. Upon clicking, they were directed to a website that closely resembled the VOX Cinema website, prompting them to enter their name and phone number. When they clicked 'redeem now', a message appeared, informing them that they had been hacked.
“90% of you clicked on the link without checking who sent it,” the bot stated before revealing the source. The link was from a website called myvuxpay.com, not voxcinemas.com. The bot cautioned, “Please don’t click on suspicious links.” This activation underscores a troubling trend of fake websites mimicking legitimate businesses to extract personal and credit card details from customers.
“With scammers and fraudsters increasingly using various platforms and sources to target victims, aiming to steal personal details, IDs, one-time passwords (OTPs), and banking information, Emirates NBD’s latest awareness activation highlights the importance of staying cautious of scams. By remaining vigilant and alert, individuals can safeguard themselves from the risk of financial loss or identity theft,” the banking group stated in a release.
The UAE authorities have encouraged residents to report any suspicious links or emails related to their bank accounts to their respective bank’s call center and Dubai Police.
