NCSA warns against Ramadan phishing campaigns 

Doha: The National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA) in Qatar warned of fraudulent phishing campaigns spreading through social media which have been taking advantage of the holy month of Ramadan, promoting fake investment campaigns, discounts, and “holy month surprises.”

انتشرت في الآونة الأخيرة حملات تصيُّد احتيالية عبر مواقع التواصل الاجتماعي، تنتحل صفة عدة جهات في الدولة، وتُروّج لحملات استثمارية وخصومات ومفاجآت مزيفة استغلالاً لشهر رمضان المبارك.

الوكالة الوطنية للأمن السيبراني تحذر من التفاعل مع منشورات هذه الحملات ودخول المواقع المرافقة. pic.twitter.com/nCowE3zReJ

— الوكالة الوطنية للأمن السيبراني (@NcsaQatar) March 26, 2023

The fake campaigns have impersonated several national Qatari entities. The NCSA warned against interacting with these campaigns or entering the websites promoted by them.

The advertisements, according to the agency, “use a broken language full of linguistic errors, and a weak coordination pattern that does not rise to the level of official bodies.” 

The phishing campaigns also use the free, open-source "Wordpress" system for their advertisements; something which official bodies do not do.

The advertisements have tried to lure in the public via financial investment and discount offers, all while requesting their personal banking data. 

The NCSA assured that the official authorities in Qatar do not request personal data from applicants, and that all official transactions are conducted through either the "Hukoomi" platform or the national documentation platform.

The agency also noted that official authorities in the country do not conduct advertisement campaigns “without first announcing them through their official platforms, the official gazette, Qatar News Agency (QNA) and the Government Communications Office (GCO).”