Don’t save credit card info on phone

Advice comes amid a surge in hacks and cash losses reported by unsuspecting victims

Dubai Police warning comes amid an increase in hacks and cash losses reported by unsuspecting victims who stored passwords and pins in memory of devices |

Mounting cases of hacked debit and credit cards and cash losses by unsuspecting victims is leading Dubai Police to warn the public to avoid clicking on suspicious links or using illegal software.

With more aggressive phishing and online theft becoming the norm globally, unwitting smartphone users who are not more discrete when surfing online are opening themselves up to potential electronic identity theft.

And naive phone owners who store their card passwords and pins inside their phone’s memory are just asking for trouble, police said yesterday.

Major General Khalil Ebrahim Al Mansouri, Assistant to the Dubai Police Chief for Criminal Investigation Affairs, said that one recent theft in Dubai, for example, involved a Gulf national who was surprised when strangers drained his card shopping in different countries around the world. The hackers racked up Dh30,000 in illicit purchases in London and Nigeria.

“He saved his credit card and the pin number inside his phone and the hackers managed to get the details and use it. They withdrew Dh30,000 from his account,” Maj Gen Al Mansouri said.