By Staff Reporter
SHARJAH — Sharjah Police have arrested seven Asian nationals accused of operating a sophisticated cyber fraud network that targeted unsuspecting victims through fake mobile applications, in the latest crackdown on online financial crime in the UAE.
Authorities said the suspects posed as government officials and representatives of legitimate organisations to convince victims to download malicious applications onto their smartphones. Once installed, the apps granted the criminals remote access to the devices, allowing them to steal sensitive personal and banking information.
Investigators also revealed that the group exploited labour-related data to fraudulently open bank accounts, which were subsequently used to receive and launder proceeds from cybercrime activities.
The arrests come amid growing concerns over the increasing sophistication of cybercriminals targeting the UAE’s rapidly expanding digital economy.
Recently, the UAE Cyber Security Council announced that it had successfully blocked a series of advanced cyberattacks aimed at financial institutions across the country. The attempted attacks involved phishing campaigns, malware deployment, exploitation of software vulnerabilities and efforts to infiltrate critical digital infrastructure.
Authorities continue to urge government agencies, private companies and members of the public to remain vigilant by complying with national cybersecurity regulations, keeping systems updated, strengthening security measures and reporting suspicious online activity through official channels.
The Cyber Security Council reaffirmed that the UAE maintains a robust national cybersecurity framework capable of detecting, preventing and responding to evolving digital threats. Officials said continuous monitoring, cyber threat intelligence sharing, enhanced preparedness and rapid incident response remain key pillars of the country’s cyber defence strategy.
The warning comes as the UAE experiences a dramatic increase in cyber threats. According to the Cyber Security Council, the country now faces more than 800,000 cyberattack attempts every day, highlighting the growing challenge posed by online criminals.
Industry experts believe the actual number may be even higher. Yahya Kassab, Senior Director and General Manager for Saudi Arabia and the Gulf at Commvault, said the UAE’s leadership in digital transformation has made it an attractive target for cybercriminals.
“The countries that are most advanced in their digital transformation tend to attract the highest number of cyberattacks, and the UAE is firmly among them,” he said.
As digital services continue to expand across the Emirates, cybersecurity experts say organisations must prioritise resilience, early threat detection and rapid recovery to stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
Source: Khaleej Times
