A cybercrime survey conducted by KPMG in the UAE at the start of this year has made some astonishing revelations about rising online frauds globally. On Wednesday, an editorial in Khaleej Times stated that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed our lifestyle, particularly how we present ourselves online.

"It (survey) revealed a stark reflection of how quickly COVID-19 has changed the way we live and conduct ourselves, especially online," the editorial commented.

The Dubai-based English-language daily underlined that as our behaviour and patterns have changed due to the pandemic, the threats and risks that come with it have also evolved. As individuals become exposed to these risks, the need for efforts to tackle these threats has also amplified.

"While the COVID-19 pandemic prompted many senior management teams of almost every company worth its salt to focus on the organisation’s core operations, it has also exposed them to greater risks," the editorial noted.

According to the daily, about 46 percent of those surveyed in the KPMG study said that they experience an increase in exposure to cybercrime in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has made them significantly vulnerable.

As per the 2021 Stay Secure survey, about four in 10 UAE consumers noted that online fraud attempts have increased as the usage of digital payments both in-store and online continued to rise over the past year.

"More and more consumers continue to prefer digital payments over cash, citing improved technology, and security measures as main motivations," said the survey, jointly conducted by Visa, Dubai Police, and Dubai Economy (DED) earlier this month.

These surveys and awareness campaigns carried out by various government agencies are aimed at alerting people against online fraud attempts. However, people continue to fall prey due to one reason or the other.

"What these studies don’t often reveal is the ugly underbelly of these transactions and what happens when they go wrong," the editorial added.

In conclusion, the Khaleej Times called on all community members to stay alert about such frauds and cooperate with the authorities to curb the menace.

"The onus of keeping the UAE a safe and secure country is on us and it’s about time we got together and delivered," the Daily said.

WAM