I never thought I'd be one of those people: the ones who fall for such an obvious scam. I thought that was a tale reserved for the elderly and technophobic.
I don't even have a story to tell of a sophisticated hoax I was duped by.
It was the Emirates Post one. Many of you will know it. You'll already have received the text messages – someone, who doesn't even appear to understand grammar, says they tried to deliver a package to your door and you weren't home, so you need to pay a Dh1 redelivery fee to get it back.
It was Christmas Eve. I had been receiving packages all week. Concerned one of my three-year-old daughter's gifts hadn't arrived on time, I clicked on the link they provided, glossing over the fact they said my zip code was incorrect and ignoring the fact the UAE doesn't have zip codes.
It took me to a website where there was a pretty convincing tracking page, telling me where my package was on each day over the past week, then a button at the top asking me to pay Dh1, which takes you to a legit-looking payment portal.
There were numerous points at which I could have realised it was a scam: the odd capitalisations in the message, the mention of a zip code, the weird URL, the text from my bank with the one-time passcode saying they were about to take €4,000 ($4,300) out for TikTok Dublin. Instead I clicked copy and paste on the notification at the top of my phone when it flagged up, not noticing the amount or destination.
Within one second, after typing in my one-time password (OTP), what I thought was Dh1 turned into a little more than Dh17,700 ($4,800). My daughter's presents were all waiting in the other room to be wrapped that night, so who knows which package I thought I was waiting for.
I immediately called the bank and cancelled my card (it was a debit, in case you're wondering). I waited two weeks for the team to investigate, only to tell me they couldn't help because I put in my OTP, something I'd raised from the start since I knew how silly it was.
I spoke to the UAE's cybercrime unit – they said the same thing. They told me to try my nearest police station, but considering it had already been two weeks (I'd naively thought the bank would report it to the police), they doubted much could be done.
Absolutely infuriated – more at myself than anyone else – I decided I had to move on with my life.
While it's undoubtedly painful to lose any money, I have since tried to appease myself by remembering it could have been worse.
I also now realise that this could happen to anyone if you're distracted enough.
Like I said, it was Christmas Eve, my parents were here, it was the kids' bedtime, I was busy planning for the next day and this seemed like a minor inconvenience that needed quickly sorting out. Even though in the back of my mind something was telling me it seemed strange, I was on autopilot, trying to cross things off my teeming to-do list.
It shook my confidence, I'll admit. Every payment I now make, I question everything. Thankfully it has urged me to take some steps in protecting my money
And I had this outdated belief – one that probably dates back to the inception of e-commerce – that an “https” at the beginning of a link meant it was a secure transaction and therefore safe. Not so – anyone can secure their site.
It shook my confidence, I'll admit. Every payment I now make, I question everything. Thankfully it has urged me to take some steps in protecting my money, such as lowering my bank transfer limit and splitting it between different accounts.
I've recounted this story several times in the past few weeks, including to a personal finance expert who told me sincerely I'm actually in the majority – but most people who get scammed don't like to talk about it, whether they're too embarrassed to admit they fell for it or it's too painful.
I, on the other hand, seemingly have a tendency to overshare.
I wish I could say I'll never be one of those people again. But as I read and hear more stories about people falling for ever-more sophisticated scams, you can never be too sure.
I guess the lesson in all this is always, always pay attention.
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
THE BIO
Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.
Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.
Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.
Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.
Pad Man
Dir: R Balki
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, Radhika Apte
Three-and-a-half stars
Company Profile
Founders: Tamara Hachem and Yazid Erman
Based: Dubai
Launched: September 2019
Sector: health technology
Stage: seed
Investors: Oman Technology Fund, angel investor and grants from Sharjah's Sheraa and Ma'an Abu Dhabi
Winners
Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski
Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)
Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea
Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona
Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)
Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)
Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)
Best National Team of the Year: Italy
Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello
Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)
Player Career Award: Ronaldinho
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
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More from Neighbourhood Watch
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Barcelona v Liverpool, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE).
Second leg
Liverpool v Barcelona, Tuesday, May 7, 11pm
Games on BeIN Sports
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Episode list:
Ep1: A recovery like no other- the unevenness of the economic recovery
Ep2: PCR and jobs - the future of work - new trends and challenges
Ep3: The recovery and global trade disruptions - globalisation post-pandemic
Ep4: Inflation- services and goods - debt risks
Ep5: Travel and tourism
