Salik Warns of Fraudulent Top-Up Websites Used to Steal Customers’ Money
Salik warned its customers of fraudulent websites that take the company's name with fake links to catch their victims with fake shipments, noting that those sites request customer data and then withdraw balance from their bank accounts without any real shipments.
Salik, in statements to Emarat Al Youm, advised its customers to use official channels to ship Salik card balances and avoid becoming a victim of fraudulent activities including avoiding paying extra commissions for informal channels, noting that it does not charge any additional amount on the amount deposited by the customer to ship his balance.
The company encouraged its customers to adopt official channels for balance shipping, including the official website of Salik, WWW.SALIK.AE, the "Salik" app available on smartphone stores (Google Play and Apple Store), as well as accredited and reliable apps, such as: "Dubai Drive", "Dubai Now" and "TIM", automatic charging via bank platforms and applications, plus text messages via number 5959.
Salik pointed out that all the options for shipping Salik card balances meet the highest standards of security and privacy, to protect the confidentiality of customer data and ensure the reliability of their transactions.
Salik has confirmed in a recent post on its digital platforms that it is careful that its customers do not fall victim to fraudulent activities, warning of various types of e-fraud, including misleading messages that claim to allow it to deposit Salik's balance or buy balance replenishment cards through it.
As she explained in a promotional video via her official Instagram page, if the customer wants to fill out Salik's balance through the official website, he must always verify that he is on the official website by searching for the "Salik" logo at the top of the page, so that he will find the language options next to the logo, and directly below it will see the list of options, with the login button and current balance buttons, emphasizing the need to make sure that the happiness meter is at the bottom of the page.
Customers told Emarat Al Youm that they had fallen victim to fake websites impersonating Salik to offer account top-ups. The sites closely resembled the official website, and the customers failed to notice differences in the web address. Large sums were then withdrawn from their accounts, exceeding AED 100,000 in some cases.
In turn, cybersecurity expert Sami A Nour explains that many individuals do their government actions by accessing websites through Google, which is to say, Google searches for, for example, paying off breaches, renovating ownership, loading up Salik, everyone goes to the first site, and that's normal, but these scammers are advertising with a huge budget, and the link at the top is yellow. When a trader enters the website and enters his data as usual, including his bank card, his money is stolen.
He added that the solution to this dilemma is to inform the relevant authorities about these websites and work to push through legislation in collaboration with global authorities, to prevent government websites from being compromised and their links falsified, and these authorities must constantly look for who takes their identity into account.
He said, "As for individuals, attention should be paid before entering the website and the advertising links written on it sponsored, and when entering the website check the link and make sure that it is the correct link, and use the official applications of the concerned parties", noting that through the bank application "Salik" can be configured.
Sami A Nour called for the need not to use a person's credit or bank card to which the salary is transferred, but to use a virtual card that he packs up when necessary, and even when using the virtual card, a maximum limit should be placed on its use, taking into account its closure when not used. He also recommended that you report fake links when viewed on the website in question, for example, if you see them on Google and you report them there, or if they're on social media platforms you can also report them.
Source: Emarat Al Youm