Abu Dhabi Police have warned residents against downloading remote control applications on smartphones and computers, saying these tools are increasingly being exploited by scammers to access personal data and steal money.
The advisory, issued under the “Stay Alert” campaign, noted that while such applications are intended for legitimate purposes such as technical support, remote work, and screen sharing, fraudsters are abusing them to gain control of victims’ devices.
Authorities said scammers typically pose as technical support staff or service providers, convincing individuals to install the software under the guise of fixing device issues. Once installed, the fraudsters can remotely access devices, view sensitive information, and carry out financial fraud.
Police reminded the public not to respond to suspicious calls requesting software downloads or the sharing of personal or banking details, stressing that banks and financial institutions do not ask for account numbers, passwords, PINs, or one-time passwords.
Residents were advised to download applications only from official and trusted sources and to avoid sharing confidential information to prevent fraud.
The police also encouraged the public to report suspected scam attempts through the “Aman” service by calling 8002626, sending a text to 2828, or visiting the nearest police station.
Authorities further emphasized the importance of using security software and regularly updating devices to protect against cyber threats.
