UAE: Credit card details of many customers stolen

News Network
December 3, 2017

Dubai: The central bank in United Arab Emirates has asked financial institutions to cancel the credit cards of those customers whose detains have been reportedly stolen.

"Please note that these details have been compromised and thus, contact the persons mentioned in the enclosed list if they are your customers, and take the required action to cancel the relevant credit cards," said a circular sent by the UAE Central Bank to local and foreign banks and finance companies operating in the UAE.

According to sources credit card details of around 250 customers have been compromised. The central bank details showed that all the cardholders are based in Dubai. However, the issuing banks were not mentioned in the curricular.

The curricular - sent to banks on November 29, 2017 - contains credit card numbers, email addresses and mobile numbers of the affected customers.

A news paper reported that some UAE residents shared their harrowing stories on Reditt regarding card frauds they faced after transactions at shopping malls, petrol pumps and online stores.

Residents have been advised not to share credit card details and PIN numbers with petrol station attendants, shopping mall receptionists and anyone on the Internet - not even with relatives and friends. The banks advise their cardholders to change PIN numbers time and again for security reasons.

John Shier, senior security adviser, Sophos, said people should feel free to browse deals on their smartphones but be cautious of the wireless network they're connected to when shopping online.

"Only enter your credit card information when you're on a secure network that you trust. And remember the best way to keep your money safe is to use online payments system such as PayPal or your credit card. Where possible, avoid using debit cards to purchase gifts online," says Shier.

The simplest - and one of the most common - method employed by cybercriminals is that they take a popular online brand and change one letter or two to trick people into clicking and sharing personal information.

"Always check the spelling and be on the lookout for smart typo-squatting like the famous Tvvitter attack," adds Shier.

But if a customer has fallen a victim to a phishing attack, he must change the password immediately and contact the bank to see if there has been any fraudulent activity.

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News Network
March 5,2020

Dubai, Mar 5: A 16-year-old Indian girl here has tested positive for the deadly coronavirus, bringing the total number of confirmed infection cases in the UAE to 28, according to media reports.

Health officials here confirmed on Wednesday that a new coronavirus case was detected in the girl who attended an Indian school in Dubai, Al-Arabiya website reported.

The girl tested positive for the COVID-19 after she contracted the infection from her father who travelled overseas, Dubai Health Authority (DHA) was quoted as saying by the report.

The Indian High School in Dubai will be closed from Thursday as a precautionary measure, the Gulf News reported.

"As a precautionary measure, Indian High School Group of schools is closed from Thursday, March 5. Detailed circular about exams will be mailed. Your well-being is important. Take care," the report said.

The father developed symptoms of the virus five days after returning to Dubai. Both the student and family members have been quarantined in hospital and are stable and recovering well. All other family members have also been quarantined, the Khaleej Times reported.

"Within the framework of comprehensive preventive measures against the spread of coronavirus, the DHA is conducting tests and monitoring the students, staff and workers of the school that may have interacted with the coronavirus patient," the DHA was quoted as saying by the Gulf News.

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News Network
May 18,2020

Abu Dhabi, May 18: Bollywood superstar Salman Khan has recorded a special message for Indian expats in the UAE as the country fights the coronavirus pandemic.

Khan - one of the biggest stars of Bollywood for decades - enjoys a large fan following in the Gulf, which is why Abu Dhabi roped in the actor to record a special video message for expats, urging them to cooperate with authorities in the capital and the country as they carry out sanitisation and testing programmes.

In the video, tweeted by the Abu Dhabi Media Office on Sunday night, the superstar appeals to Indians in Abu Dhabi to become heroes by staying home (stepping out for essential work/errands only), following precautionary measures and simply 'do the right thing' by getting tested if they have any Covid-19-related symptoms.

Khan, who has shot his recent super hit films (Race 3) in the capital, assured expats that Abu Dhabi authorities will not leave the community in these challenging times as it is a hospitable city who takes care of all residents.

"Following preventive measures also protects your family from the virus - so do the right thing as heroes do," Khan concludes.

The second phase of Abu Dhabi's sanitisation and testing in labour areas is underway, which started on May 16. Special testing facilities have been set up in the city for this purpose that test thousands of workers everyday.

As of May 17, UAE has confirmed over 23,000 cases along with over 8,000 recoveries and 220 deaths.

The country recently made a breakthrough in treating Covid-19 by using stem cells to help with the recovery.

The UAE leadership has thanked citizens and residents for their cooperation and assured that the country will take care of everyone in the country - with food and medicines being the red line, and that there will be no shortage of either during the crisis. Stimulus packages have been announced to help businesses stay afloat.

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Agencies
July 31,2020

Makkah, Jul 31: Organising this year's scaled-down hajj required "double efforts" by Saudi authorities amid the coronavirus pandemic, King Salman said Friday after being discharged from hospital following gall bladder surgery.

Only up to 10,000 people already residing in the kingdom are participating in this year's pilgrimage, compared with 2019's gathering of some 2.5 million from around the world.

"Holding the ritual in the shadow of this pandemic... required reducing the numbers of pilgrims, but it obliged various official agencies to put in double efforts," 84-year-old King Salman said in a speech read out on state television by acting media minister Majid Al-Qasabi.

"The hajj this year was restricted to a very limited number of people from multiple nationalities, ensuring the ritual was completed despite the difficult circumstances," he said.

The speech came on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, the Muslim festival of sacrifice, a day after the king left hospital following a 10-day stay for surgery to remove his gall bladder.

The hajj, which began on Wednesday, is one of the five pillars of Islam and a must for able-bodied Muslims at least once in their lifetime.

Authorities implemented the "highest health precautions" during the rituals, the king said.

Pilgrims, who were all tested for the virus, are required to wear masks and observe social distancing.

For Friday's "stoning of the devil", the last major ritual of the hajj, Saudi authorities offered the pilgrims pebbles that were sanitised to protect against the pandemic.

In a sign that its strict measures were working, the health ministry reported no coronavirus cases in the holy sites on Wednesday or Thursday.

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