A Portuguese cabin crew member lost nearly Dh200,000 to sophisticated phone scammers.
A resident of Dubai for over four years, I.O. had diligently saved this amount with dreams of returning home.
According to a Khaleej Times report, the scam unfolded when she was caught off guard after a tiring night flight, expecting a call from a friend. Instead, she was tricked by scammers pretending to represent Emirates NBD bank and a notable UAE exchange house.
The scammers, exploiting her exhaustion, convinced I.O. to install a new banking app and reveal her login credentials, under the guise of processing a substantial prize she had supposedly won. In a carefully orchestrated distraction, the scammers engaged her in a 15-minute conversation while quietly draining her bank accounts. The stolen funds were swiftly transferred to three individuals, leaving I.O. penniless.
The realization of her loss led I.O. to the bank and then to the police, but her hopes of recovering the funds were dimmed by the bank’s declaration of her actions as gross negligence. Amidst this despair, I.O. found solace in the unexpected support from her parents, who flew in to be by her side, strengthening their bond.
Despite the bank’s assistance and her friend’s unwavering support in navigating the aftermath, I.O. is left questioning the security measures that failed to protect her, particularly the lack of two-factor authentication during the transactions.