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Dubai: Man tries to blackmail girl on social media; police arrest him in 24 hours

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Dubai - The force urged parents to educate their children about not building friendships with strangers

Published: Tue 5 Oct 2021, 5:57 PM

Updated: Tue 5 Oct 2021, 6:01 PM

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  • Web report

Dubai Police have arrested a man who attempted to blackmail a young girl on social media. He was nabbed within 24 hours of receiving the report, authorities said.

Brig. Abdullah Khadem Bin Suroor, Director of Bur Dubai Police Station and Chairman of the Police Stations Directors Council, said that the force received the complaint through the Smart Police Station (SPS).

The suspect reportedly used photos and videos the girl had sent him in order to blackmail her, after earning her trust.

"However, Dubai Police intervened in time and arrested the man within 24 hours of receiving the report," Brig. Bin Suroor said.

He explained that cyber extortion is an emerging form of cybercrime, where criminals threaten to publish private pictures, videos and confidential information if victims do not pay them the money they demand or carry out illegal acts by compulsion.

The director of Bur Dubai Police Station urged parents to educate their children about not accepting friend requests or building friendships with strangers.

"Parents must teach children about the dangers of sharing their photos and information through websites, social media platforms and electronic games, as well as guide them on how to act when they fall into the trap of extortion", he added.

Brig. Bin Suroor explained that extortionists use several methods. "The most prominent method is to lure people, through fake accounts on social media platforms, to share their photos and videos with criminals — who later use this private information to blackmail their victims."

The authority urged members of the public to remain vigilant when using social media platforms and not provide anonymous or suspicious accounts with personal and sensitive information, including pictures and videos, as cyber blackmailers may exploit these.

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The force also advised social media users to be cautious when browsing the Internet and refrain from visiting suspicious websites to avoid falling prey to online scammers.

Brig. Bin Suroor urged all citizens and residents to report cybercriminals via the force’s platform, www.ecrime.ae. Alternatively, members of the public can report such illegal activities to the nearest Smart Police Station (SPS) that operates 24/7 or call the toll-free number 901.



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