Are you a foodie who loves to try new cuisines and maybe even go back to their comfort dishes from all-time favourite restaurants? Well, if your answer is ‘yes,’ then chances are that you probably love to order food online, every once in a while. However, it seems that lately ordering food online has become another way in which people are getting scammed. Well, if you also love ordering food online, you might want to read this article to be aware of all the bogus deals that you may come across.
Food Scams Across The UAE
According to a report published by Khaleej Times, it was recently revealed that there are several bogus deals that are duping people into sharing not only their personal data but also financial information. Yes, it mentioned that Emirates Islamic Bank recently sent out an email, which urged customers to be careful of such scam emails and offers that might leave them sharing important personal information with hackers or scammers. If you are also wondering, scammers across the UAE are luring in trusting people through an elaborate set-up.
Yes, this includes the creation of food offers on websites or social media, and then asking people to click on the links to make use of them. Once the user clicks on the website, they are asked to provide personal and banking information, after which they are sent an OTP with a different amount and merchant name. Once the user gives these details, the scammers get access to their personal data for conducting fraudulent transactions.
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A Guide To Being Safe!
However, if you are also worried about keeping safe from such scam incidents, the bank did offer a bunch of tips that customers can use to be safe.
- Make sure to be cautious of such unsolicited deals, which seem too good to be true. These deals may often appear on your social media feeds or as emails from suspicious email addresses.
- To ensure that the deal is legitimate, do refer to the offer on the official website or any authorised channel of the restaurant or even delivery service.
- Do not share any personal information, bank details, or any other sensitive data that can lead to fraudulent transactions.
- Make sure that when you receive the OTP, you verify the purchase amount and the merchant name mentioned in the SMS text.
So, in light of all the recent scams that have left many victims. Reading, it’s important to be vigilant.
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