The UAE Cybersecurity Council has warned of a sharp rise in artificial intelligence-enabled fraud, urging individuals and organizations to step up vigilance as advanced technology reshapes cybercrime and makes scams harder to detect.
The warning was issued as part of a weekly awareness campaign under the Cyber Pulse program launched by the UAE Cybersecurity Council, which focuses on raising public awareness of emerging digital threats.
The Council said that artificial intelligence and its applications have fundamentally changed the practice of fraud, enabling tasks that once required time and effort to be carried out in seconds.
It emphasized that AI has increased the complexity of detecting online fraud by making fraudulent activity appear legitimate, including realistic voice simulations, modified logos that look legitimate, and highly sophisticated text and images included as emergency security applications.
According to the Council, artificial intelligence also allows fraudsters to create links that appear to be trustworthy, contributing to the rapid increase in technology-driven fraud attempts.
It noted that AI-powered phishing is responsible for more than 90 percent of digital breaches, as fraudsters now create messages that appear almost authentic and remove many of the traditional warning signs.
The Council said these complexities require users to remain vigilant before clicking on any links and to ensure the appropriateness of advertisements, promotional messages, and any communication that requests personal or financial information or the disclosure of sensitive data.
As the use of artificial intelligence increases, the Council explained, the line between authenticity and imitation continues to blur, exposing users to sophisticated fraud risks. This has increased the need for tools and defense strategies based on awareness and knowledge to understand the level of emerging threats.
Strengthening capabilities, the Council said, is essential to provide additional layers of protection against account takeovers and the use of artificial identities, improve detection accuracy, reduce false alerts, protect payment integrity, and support the prioritization of AI-powered investigations, even within resource and budget constraints.
The threat of AI cybersecurity in the UAE
The Council affirmed that the fight against AI-enabled phishing and electronic fraud starts at the individual level, by building cyber awareness and understanding the risks associated with the malicious use of artificial intelligence.
It warned that many products or advertisements broadcast on social media could appear too perfect because of AI-generated images, which fraudsters are using to mislead users to an unprecedented degree.
Through its weekly Cyber Pulse awareness message, the campaign outlined practical steps to avoid becoming a victim of AI-driven fraud.
This includes avoiding unverified links, checking for spelling or grammar errors in suspicious messages, verifying information through legitimate or trusted channels, enabling multi-factor authentication—which prevents more than 90 percent of fraud attempts—and using security software to detect threats and protect against viruses.
Now in its second year, the Cyber Pulse campaign continues across social media as part of the UAE’s efforts to create a secure online environment that protects users from growing digital threats.
This plan is in line with the country’s broader vision to strengthen confidence in the digital ecosystem, foster a strong culture of online security among families and individuals, and promote online best practices that protect privacy and security in an era of rapid digital transformation.
