UAE authorities have warned residents against a sophisticated new scam in which fraudsters pose as officials from the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), using Google Meet calls and fake email accounts to steal personal information and money from victims.
The warning comes after reports of scammers contacting residents through Google Meet invitations sent from free email accounts, including Gmail addresses such as ‘governmenticfederal15@gmail.com’, while falsely claiming to represent ICP and other government entities.
During the Google Meet call, victims are informed that fees linked to their Emirates ID, residency file or government records remain unpaid and must be settled immediately to avoid penalties, fines or legal consequences. Fraudsters then ask victims to provide all details contained on their Emirates ID cards, passport information, contact details and other personal data before instructing them to transfer money to personal bank accounts.
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In some cases, scammers claim they are conducting identity verification procedures or updating government records and warn victims that failure to cooperate could result in administrative penalties or restrictions on government services.
Major Abdullah Al Shehhi, Director of the Cybercrime Department at Dubai Police, has repeatedly urged members of the public to remain vigilant against online fraud schemes and to verify the authenticity of communications claiming to be from government entities through official channels.
Brigadier Omar Ahmed Abu Al Zoud, Director-General of the Criminal Investigation Department at Sharjah Police, has also warned residents against sharing personal, financial or identification information with unknown individuals, stressing that cybercriminals frequently exploit the names of trusted institutions to deceive victims.
A senior official at the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) reiterated that the authority does not contact customers through Google Meet calls, personal email accounts or social media platforms to request Emirates ID details, banking information or payments. The authority also stressed that government fees are collected only through approved and authorised channels.
Authorities said several warning signs should immediately raise suspicion, including invitations to join Google Meet calls, requests for copies of Emirates IDs, demands for urgent payments to avoid penalties and messages originating from generic email domains such as Gmail, Yahoo or Hotmail rather than official government domains.
Officials stressed that no UAE government entity requests payments through personal bank accounts or asks customers to disclose sensitive personal information during online meetings. Residents are urged to verify any communication directly through official government websites, mobile applications and customer service centres before taking any action.
Members of the public who receive suspicious emails, calls or meeting invitations are encouraged to stop communication immediately and report the incident through police cybercrime reporting platforms.
Authorities reiterated that protecting personal information remains the first line of defence against cyber fraud and urged residents to remain alert to scams that misuse the names of government entities to steal money and sensitive personal data.
Source: Khaleej Times