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Dubai: The UAE is stepping up its fight against increasingly sophisticated cybercrime, with authorities warning that artificial intelligence is giving fraudsters new ways to deceive victims, steal data, hijack accounts and disguise the proceeds of crime.
The Ministry of Interior, in cooperation with Dubai Police and the Dubai Electronic Security Centre, has launched the “UAE Safe Through Your Digital Awareness” campaign, coinciding with Cybersecurity Awareness Month observed every October.
The campaign aims to raise awareness across different sections of society about cybercrime risks, data protection and practical ways to prevent criminals from gaining access to accounts and personal information.
The announcement was made at the Dubai Police Officers Club on Wednesday in the presence of senior officials from the Ministry of Interior, Dubai Police, the Dubai Electronic Security Centre and the Positive Spirit Council.
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Officials said the campaign will focus particularly on keeping the public informed about the rapidly changing techniques used by cybercriminals.
Brigadier Saeed Mohammed Al Hajeri, Director of the General Department of Criminal Investigations at Dubai Police, said the initiative is designed to familiarise the public with the different methods used by fraudsters and strengthen their ability to protect themselves.
“Our goal is to reach zero victims of cyber gangs,” Al Hajeri said.
He said criminals were increasingly exploiting developments in electronic and digital technologies, particularly artificial intelligence.
“Cybercrime represents a global challenge,” he said, adding that the campaign and cooperation with strategic partners were aimed at strengthening public awareness of cyber risks and ways to prevent them.
Fake jobs used to move illicit money
Dubai Police has detected advanced uses of AI in fraud, phishing, data breaches and deepfake operations, officials said.
Criminals are also using the technology to create convincing fraudulent pages and advertisements and to move illicit proceeds through multiple digital wallets in an attempt to conceal the money trail.
One growing threat is fake employment offers promoted through social media.
Fraudsters can use AI to produce professional-looking advertisements targeting job seekers. Some victims are then asked to provide access to their bank accounts or receive and transfer money as part of supposed remote employment.
The money may later be linked to fraud, money laundering or other crimes.
Al Hajeri warned that victims could find themselves involved in criminal investigations even when they had been deceived into participating in the scheme.
He said that although awareness of different forms of electronic crime has increased in UAE society, authorities will continue working to strengthen public knowledge of how to protect personal data.
Dubai Police expands digital forensics
Dubai Police has enhanced the capabilities of its digital forensics laboratory to examine faces, voices and video recordings and identify signs of AI manipulation.
The laboratory can prepare detailed reports on the misuse of AI, including detecting deepfakes.
Al Hajeri said the rapid improvement in synthetic content, image and audio quality, and voice-and-video synchronisation was creating new challenges for investigators.
Dubai Police has also established a specialised unit dealing with emerging crimes associated with AI, including evolving methods of breaching systems and accessing data.
Cyber response now measured in minutes
Amer Sharaf, Executive Director of the Cybersecurity Systems and Services Sector at the Dubai Electronic Security Centre, said AI was being used by both attackers and cybersecurity teams.
Criminals can use it to identify and exploit vulnerabilities faster, while security teams can deploy AI to monitor threats, anticipate attacks and analyse huge volumes of data.
Sharaf said the speed of response had become critical, with some cyber incidents requiring action within minutes rather than days.
He stressed that security updates and preventive measures must be implemented quickly as cybercriminals continue to develop new methods of exploiting vulnerabilities.
The Dubai Electronic Security Centre has developed “Sarab”, an AI-powered tool that assesses whether video content has been manipulated and helps detect deepfakes. The programme was developed by UAE talent and made available as an open-source project for users and specialised organisations.
Sharaf said the campaign carries a clear educational message and aims to make the public more aware of cybercrime risks.
“Awareness is an essential part of the cybersecurity system,” he said, stressing that knowledge is increasingly important in dealing with misinformation, account takeovers and attempts to obtain personal data.
More than 11 million reached through awareness efforts
Brigadier Dr Abdulrahman Sharaf Al Maamari, Director of the Hemaya International Centre at Dubai Police, said more than 11 million people benefited from awareness initiatives and programmes last year.
Cybercrime and electronic fraud accounted for around 60 per cent of awareness lectures, with plans to increase the proportion to more than 80 per cent this year, based on the centre’s monitoring of cybercrime, blackmail and fraud patterns.
He said awareness activities would be intensified throughout Cybersecurity Awareness Month.
Children among those at risk
Al Maamari also highlighted the particular risks facing children and young people.
Children may spend more than seven hours a day using tablets and other electronic devices, he said, increasing the need to educate both young people and their families about online threats.
The awareness drive will therefore target families as well as individual users, with the aim of helping them recognise suspicious behaviour and avoid becoming victims.
UAE has advanced cybersecurity system
Colonel Dr Engineer Ibrahim Humaid Al Miyahi, Director of the Digital Security Department at the Ministry of Interior, said the UAE has an advanced cybersecurity system, but protecting society requires coordinated efforts and greater public participation.
He stressed that every individual is a key partner in preventing and combating cybercrime.
Al Miyahi reaffirmed the Ministry of Interior’s commitment to deploying its personnel, expertise and capabilities to achieve the highest levels of protection and security.
He also urged media organisations to contribute to cybersecurity awareness throughout the month by highlighting developments in electronic crime and vulnerabilities that may emerge with modern technologies.
He stressed that responsibility for cybersecurity does not rest with one organisation alone, but is shared across society.
Warning over home security cameras
Al Miyahi also highlighted the risks associated with home surveillance cameras.
Residents were urged to choose reliable, high-quality devices, carefully consider where cameras are installed, follow security measures and regularly update associated applications to reduce the risk of unauthorised access.
He also urged victims to report hacking incidents and blackmail rather than remain silent, warning that failing to report such crimes could give offenders greater scope to continue their activities.
Deepfake technology has become increasingly sophisticated and can potentially be used to produce entire films and highly convincing voice recordings, he said.
This makes awareness and vigilance increasingly important when assessing whether digital content is genuine.
Workshops held ahead of campaign
Colonel Dr Saud Al Khalidi, Assistant Director-General of Specialised Departments at Dubai Police’s General Department of Criminal Investigations, said preparations for Cybersecurity Awareness Month included a series of workshops to develop an integrated strategic plan for the campaign.
He said this year’s campaign is distinguished by the participation of a large number of government and private-sector partners, allowing the awareness programme to reach wider sections of society.
The campaign brings together the Ministry of Interior, Dubai Police, the Dubai Electronic Security Centre and other government and private-sector partners in a coordinated effort to strengthen digital awareness and help people recognise and avoid emerging cyber threats.
Awareness activities across Dubai
Fatima Buhajeer, Chairwoman of the Positive Spirit Council at Dubai Police, said the council would participate in cybersecurity awareness efforts throughout the month.
It will organise events and activities at different locations across Dubai, targeting people from various nationalities and communities.
The campaign is intended to ensure that cybersecurity messages reach beyond specialists and technology users, making digital safety a shared responsibility across the wider community.
