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Cybersecurity Firm Uncovers 2,400+ Fake Arabic Job Pages

The scam targeted internet users across 13 Middle East and North African countries.

Published

2 years ago

on

cybersecurity firm uncovers 2,400+ fake arabic job pages

Global cybersecurity leader Group-IB has revealed new research from its center in Dubai detailing a widespread fake job scam campaign targeting Arabic speakers in the MENA region.

Digital Risk Protection experts used AI and text analyzing tools to uncover over 2,400 fake job pages impersonating companies from 13 countries. The posts were created on social media platforms throughout the entirety of 2022.

On the job pages, fraudsters spoofed more than 40 of the MENA region’s largest companies. They published vacancies in Arabic offering salaries too good to be true, including “4,500 euros (USD $4,800) for drivers and painters”. Once interested victims interacted with links on the pages, they were taken to fake phishing sites where they were asked to enter login credentials and passwords.

Which Countries Were Targeted?

Arabic-speaking individuals were the exclusive targets of this particular scamming campaign, with Egyptian companies most frequently spoofed by the criminals.

headline data and timeline of mena job scam january 2022 – january 2023

According to Group-IB, “48% of all the fake profiles created on Facebook spoofed companies from Egypt. Organizations from Saudi Arabia (23% of all scam pages), Algeria (16%), Tunisia (7%), and Morocco (4%) were also frequently mimicked as well as offering individuals jobs at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar”.

What Industries Were Selected?

The scammers responsible for the fake job pages made adverts across multiple industries, though logistics firms were a popular target (64%). Group-IB noted that “scammers targeting MENA users are particularly fond of impersonating logistics enterprises due to the high potential ROI. The food and beverage (20% of scam pages) and petroleum (12%) industries were also heavily impersonated by the scammers, with one particular company being impersonated on more than 1,000 fake pages”.

Also Read: Is Your Phone Hacked? How To Find Out & Protect Yourself

Staying Safe Online

Group-IB warned internet users to stay vigilant and always confirm URLs when following links that supposedly lead to a company’s website — a particularly important habit on social media sites. Users should enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for all online accounts supporting the security feature and ensure they never use the same password across multiple accounts.

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UAE Prepares To Launch Two Satellites: Thuraya-2 And MBZ-SAT

HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum chaired the first meeting of the Supreme Space Council yesterday.

Published

5 days ago

on

December 17, 2024

By

uae prepares to launch two satellites thuraya-2 and mbz-sat

HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, chaired the first meeting of the Supreme Space Council in Dubai on December 16, 2024. The session highlighted the UAE’s ambitious space plans and took stock of the sector’s economic progress.

The council emphasized the growing role of private companies in advancing space technologies, noting that their contributions are now equal to that of the public sector. Members also praised initiatives like the Space Economic Zones Programme, which are designed to fuel innovation and investment in the space industry.

Discussing the UAE’s space journey, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum remarked, “The national space sector continues to grow and advance, and we take immense pride in the remarkable achievements we have accomplished over the years”.

Sheikh Hamdan also received updates on two upcoming satellite projects: Thuraya-2 and MBZ-SAT. Thuraya-2, developed by Space42, is slated for launch this December. Meanwhile, the MBZ-SAT, created by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), will soon follow. MBRSC, a major driver of the UAE National Space Programme, continues to lead the nation’s space-related developments.

Space42 took the opportunity to showcase its advancements, including ongoing collaborations between public and private entities. The company also outlined strategies to promote innovation, boost revenue streams, and create new opportunities for growth in the sector.

Also Read: IBM Opens New Doha Office To Support Qatar’s Digital Growth

The UAE’s current projects build on a growing legacy of space exploration. Back in 2020, the nation made headlines with its Mars mission, successfully sending a probe into the planet’s orbit in 2021. This mission, which is now in its second phase as of June 2024, has been collecting critical data to develop a comprehensive diurnal image of Mars.

The UAE also ventured into lunar exploration with an unmanned mission aimed at studying untouched regions of the Moon’s surface. While the probe ultimately crashed during its landing attempt after communication was lost seconds before touchdown, the effort represented a significant step in the country’s exploration ambitions.

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