The Cyber Security Council (CSC) announced a renewed warning to citizens about the growing threat of cyber fraud, reporting an increase in fraudulent messages targeting the public. The Council urged individuals to remain vigilant, delete suspicious messages, avoid interacting with unknown senders, block unfamiliar numbers, and immediately report incidents to the relevant authorities.

According to the CSC, cyber fraud schemes are becoming more sophisticated. Fraudsters are increasingly impersonating government entities, official institutions, or trusted companies. They often request personal or financial information to gain victims’ trust and extract sensitive data. As a result, the Council stressed the importance of caution and vigilance against phishing and SMS-based scams.

The Council further revealed that users should avoid clicking on electronic links unless the source is verified. It also advised verifying advertisements and messages that request personal or financial details, as these are common entry points for cyber fraud attempts.

CSC outlined several indicators that can help identify fraudulent messages. Such messages often create a false sense of urgency, lack personalisation, appear too good to be true, and usually originate from unknown numbers. Reported examples include messages claiming prize winnings, refunds, bank account verification requests, or exclusive credit card offers.

In addition, the Council reported that combating cyber fraud begins at the individual level through improved awareness and a stronger cybersecurity culture. Users were advised to avoid responding to suspicious messages, block senders, and refrain from clicking embedded links.

The weekly Cyber Pulse awareness message also encouraged preventive habits to reduce exposure to cyber fraud, including:

• Installing applications that block spam and scam messages
• Regularly deleting untrusted or suspicious messages

CSC noted that fraudulent messages have spread to nearly 35 percent over the past year. This increase has created more complex challenges for users and authorities. Therefore, the Council highlighted the need for defensive tools and technologies that improve detection speed, accuracy, and overall digital protection.

The Council concluded by stating that cybersecurity safety in the digital space has become a major challenge. It added that these preventive measures support ongoing government efforts to address digital risks arising from rapid technological developments.

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