Emirates NBD has issued a fresh reminder for residents to stay alert for fraud attempts that target workplaces and personal devices, after warning that scammers may pretend to be senior company officials to pressure victims into sending money.
In an advisory released on Tuesday, the bank highlighted what it described as “executive impersonation scams,” where criminals pose as leaders or executives and use messages designed to feel urgent and believable.
The bank said the approach often relies on lookalike email addresses or unfamiliar numbers that closely resemble legitimate contacts, with fraudsters pushing employees to act quickly before checking details.
In one common pattern, a victim may receive a text message or email that appears to come from someone in a senior role at their firm, using a tone that suggests immediate action is required. The message could say something like: “Hi, I’m in a meeting. Please urgently process this payment to a vendor. Details attached. I’ll explain later.”
Another method swaps direct transfers for gift cards, with scammers asking the recipient to buy cards from popular brands and share the codes. The message could be framed like “Can you quickly buy gift cards worth Dh3,000 and send me the codes? It’s for a client.”
To reduce the risk of falling for these tactics, Emirates NBD advised customers to pause before responding to urgent requests and verify them through a trusted channel, such as calling a known phone number rather than replying to the message.
The bank also urged users to closely inspect sender details, noting that addresses may be slightly altered or may come from external accounts, and to avoid clicking links or responding to suspicious messages. It added that customers should report questionable communications to the Fraud Prevention Team and should not transfer funds or purchase gift cards without proper approval.
