“User impersonation", as Twitter calls identity theft, isn’t much fun. I recently woke up to concerned emails from colleagues and a number of kind but unusually urgent direct messages from contacts I’m not used to hearing from. The one that summed up my situation best: “I think you have a problem, Joe!”
They were right. An account had been created using the photos and exact details of my genuine Twitter profile. The only difference was that the perpetrator had added one character to my user name. For my followers (not that I have that many), it would be reasonable to assume it was me. The fraudster then followed a number of my contacts and at least 20 people followed back, their accounts now open to messages by my impersonator.
Now I have followed, unfollowed and followed again some people on Twitter, but if someone familiar makes contact with me and appears to be starting from scratch, rebuilding their account for some reason, I’d like to think I would stop and think about it. Indeed, I did recently when something similar happened to a friend – it didn’t quite feel right.
In my case, suspicious colleagues reported their Twitter invitations from the fake me before I had a chance to do so. When I reported the problem after waking the next morning, I already had a case number and it was due to be reviewed. A few hours later, I was relieved to receive the following email from Twitter: “Thanks for sending us your report. We reviewed the account, and removed it for violating our rules.”
Later that morning, I received a call from a senior journalist – let’s call him Jake – who had been unfortunate enough to have engaged with the scam account, clearly distracted while watching a football match. His story went like this:
After following the fake Joe Jenkins, he was direct-messaged and asked for his WhatsApp number so he could be sent an invitation. Unknown to me while I slept, I had set up a media book club – actually not a bad idea, though with a narrower demographic than Oprah’s – and invited him to join it. When he responded, naturally curious about this prospect, he received messages asking him to verify his WhatsApp and Twitter accounts and, unwittingly (as the goals went in, no doubt), his control over those two accounts was surrendered. His WhatsApp contacts then received a message from “him” asking for their help with something he needed to pay for and – of course – their credit card details. I hope none fell for it. I don’t really have the heart to ask him more about it at the moment, but one day I will buy him a coffee and find out what the fall-out was. Fortunately, I am unaware of anyone else being snared like this by my impersonator.
Fraudsters are not just following a clever pattern of deception in the hope of catching someone unawares – they can be imaginative too
While it was my identity that was cloned, Jake was the real victim, even if – I hope – just for a number of anxious hours. At least his employer’s IT department helped him to resolve the fraud. I apologised to him for his predicament, despite having no responsibility for it.
That same week, I was dealing with one of my credit cards being defrauded in another country. Like Twitter, my bank in the UAE dealt with the fraud promptly. It is easy to rail at big companies when their customer service goes awry, or is even downright awful, but in these instances they deserve praise for handling vexing situations with such efficiency.
I’m not quite sure what we learn from this. I suppose: that fraudsters are not just following a clever pattern of deception in the hope of catching someone unawares – they can be imaginative too. A media book club is a pretty good ruse when your patsy is a journalist, even if I’m a serial starter – and rare finisher – of books. But like all journalists, I do like to talk about my craft and would certainly be game for it, as I’m sure would many of my friends and contacts on Twitter. If nothing else comes from this episode, a media book club might have been born in the UAE. Who’d like to suggest the first book? But if you receive an invitation to join, do just double-check it really is from me.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Anti-semitic attacks
The annual report by the Community Security Trust, which advises the Jewish community on security , warned on Thursday that anti-Semitic incidents in Britain had reached a record high.
It found there had been 2,255 anti-Semitic incidents reported in 2021, a rise of 34 per cent from the previous year.
The report detailed the convictions of a number of people for anti-Semitic crimes, including one man who was jailed for setting up a neo-Nazi group which had encouraged “the eradication of Jewish people” and another who had posted anti-Semitic homemade videos on social media.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Indian construction workers stranded in Ajman with unpaid dues
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Read more from Aya Iskandarani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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
One-off T20 International: UAE v Australia
When: Monday, October 22, 2pm start
Where: Abu Dhabi Cricket, Oval 1
Tickets: Admission is free
Australia squad: Aaron Finch (captain), Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey, Ashton Agar, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Chris Lynn, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Darcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa, Peter Siddle
FORSPOKEN
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
THE LOWDOWN
Photograph
Rating: 4/5
Produced by: Poetic License Motion Pictures; RSVP Movies
Director: Ritesh Batra
Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sanya Malhotra, Farrukh Jaffar, Deepak Chauhan, Vijay Raaz
The years Ramadan fell in May
So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?
Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
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Political flags or banners
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Bikes, skateboards or scooters
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
The BIO:
He became the first Emirati to climb Mount Everest in 2011, from the south section in Nepal
He ascended Mount Everest the next year from the more treacherous north Tibetan side
By 2015, he had completed the Explorers Grand Slam
Last year, he conquered K2, the world’s second-highest mountain located on the Pakistan-Chinese border
He carries dried camel meat, dried dates and a wheat mixture for the final summit push
His new goal is to climb 14 peaks that are more than 8,000 metres above sea level
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
If you go…
Emirates launched a new daily service to Mexico City this week, flying via Barcelona from Dh3,995.
Emirati citizens are among 67 nationalities who do not require a visa to Mexico. Entry is granted on arrival for stays of up to 180 days.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The schedule
December 5 - 23: Shooting competition, Al Dhafra Shooting Club
December 9 - 24: Handicrafts competition, from 4pm until 10pm, Heritage Souq
December 11 - 20: Dates competition, from 4pm
December 12 - 20: Sour milk competition
December 13: Falcon beauty competition
December 14 and 20: Saluki races
December 15: Arabian horse races, from 4pm
December 16 - 19: Falconry competition
December 18: Camel milk competition, from 7.30 - 9.30 am
December 20 and 21: Sheep beauty competition, from 10am
December 22: The best herd of 30 camels
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
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Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital
INDIA'S%20TOP%20INFLUENCERS
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Formula%204%20Italian%20Championship%202023%20calendar
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Match info
Liverpool 4
Salah (19'), Mane (45 2', 53'), Sturridge (87')
West Ham United 0
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
