Life-Ready Society · Teacher and parent pack · Financial dimension

Scams, Fraud and Money Safety

Spot the red flags, protect your accounts and know what to do.

8 lessons, about 1.5 hours of reading. Free lessons, videos and full sources: https://lifereadysociety.com/scams/

How to use this pack. Ask your teen or class to read one lesson online (about ten minutes), talk through the key points together, choose one practice task to try this week, then use the quiz to check what stuck. The answer key is on the last page. Free to print for home and classroom use.

The lessons at a glance

1. How scammers think: the red flags behind every scam

Scams change their costumes every month, from fake parcels to fake investments, but the tricks underneath barely change. Learn the pattern once and you will recognise it in any form.

Key points

Pretend, Problem or prize, Pressure, Pay: the four Ps of a scam.
Strong emotion plus urgency is your signal to slow down.
Gift cards, crypto, wire transfers and 'safe accounts' are red flags.
Never share an OTP, PIN or password with anyone.
Stop, Challenge, Protect, and verify using contact details you found yourself.

2. Phishing, smishing and fake calls

Most money scams in the UAE start with a text, WhatsApp message, email or call pretending to be your bank, a courier or the police. One rule protects you from most of them: no genuine bank or government body will ever ask for your OTP, PIN or card security code.

Key points

No bank, police force or government body will ask for your OTP, PIN or CVV.
Fake parcels, fake fines and fake bank alerts are the most common UAE scripts.
Never use the link or number in a message to check it.
Read every OTP message in full: merchant and amount must match.
Clicked or shared? Call your bank first, then change passwords and report.

3. Online shopping and second-hand marketplace scams

Buying trainers, a used phone or a concert ticket online is normal, and so are the scams that come with it. A few habits about where you buy and how you pay protect both your money and your safety.

Key points

Lookalike web addresses and too-good-to-be-true prices are warning signs.
Never pay an unknown shop or seller by bank transfer, gift card or crypto.
Meet in person, test the item, pay on handover.
You never need your card details or OTP to receive money.
Overpaid? Do not send back the difference.

4. Gaming, social media and giveaway scams

Your gaming and social accounts have real value: skins, in-game currency, followers and your friends' trust. Scammers want the account itself, and once they have it they can use it to trick everyone you know.

Key points

Free currency offers are usually after your login, not your kindness.
If you have to pay to get a prize, it is a scam.
2-step verification on email first, then social and gaming.
Never share a login code, even with a 'friend'.
Hacked? Recover, change passwords, log out everywhere, turn on 2SV, warn friends.

5. Fake jobs, easy money and money mules

When you are 16 to 19, offers of quick cash for 'just using your account' or 'simple online tasks' can sound tempting. Some of these turn you into a link in a money-laundering chain, and the consequences fall on you, not the person who recruited you.

Key points

Moving money for someone else can make you part of a crime, even if you did not know.
There is no such thing as renting out a bank account.
Real jobs never ask you to pay, or to receive and forward money.
Unexpected money in your account: do not move it, tell your bank.
Already involved? Stop and get help now.

6. Investment, crypto, romance and pyramid scams

Some scams do not grab money in one go. They build trust over weeks, show you small 'profits' or offer friendship or love, and then ask for more and more. Knowing the script protects you and the people you care about.

Key points

Guaranteed or very high returns, fast, are a lie.
Check licences yourself; never send money to personal accounts.
Never send money to someone you have not met in person.
If the money comes from recruiting, it is a pyramid.
Rushed, secret or crypto-only means stop.

7. Identity theft and protecting your personal data

Your Emirates ID, passport, phone number and UAE Pass are the keys to your financial life. In the wrong hands they can be used to open accounts, take over your phone number or pass a bank's checks in your name.

Key points

Your ID, phone number and UAE Pass are the keys to your money.
Share ID copies only when needed, watermarked with date and purpose.
Never share UAE Pass logins or approve requests you did not start.
Do not post ID, cards, boarding passes or full birth dates.
Strange charges or accounts? Act immediately.

8. If it happens: what to do, step by step

Anyone can be scammed, including adults who work in banking and security. What matters is acting quickly, in the right order, without shame. Speed gives your bank the best chance of stopping the money.

Key points

Speed matters: call your bank first.
Change passwords, log out everywhere, turn on 2-step verification.
Screenshot everything before blocking or deleting.
Report to Dubai Police eCrime, Abu Dhabi Aman, the MOI app or a police station; 999 in danger.
No shame, tell an adult, and never pay for 'recovery'.

Talk about it, then try it

The real-life practice tasks from each lesson. Pick one or two a week and agree when you will check in.

How scammers think: the red flags behind every scam
- Find one scam message in your own phone, email or spam folder and label it with the four Ps: Pretend, Problem or prize, Pressure, Pay.
- Agree a 'pause rule' with your family: anyone who gets an urgent money request will check with another family member before acting.
- Look up and save your bank's official phone number from its website or the back of your card, so you never need a number from a message.
Phishing, smishing and fake calls
- Check your bank app for OTP, card control and 'freeze card' settings, and find out how quickly you could block your card if you needed to.
- Show a parent or grandparent the 'never share your OTP' rule and the fake parcel and fake fine scripts. Older relatives are often targeted too.
- Next time you get an OTP, read the whole message and check the merchant and amount before using it.
Online shopping and second-hand marketplace scams
- Before your next online purchase from a new shop, check its address letter by letter, look for independent reviews, and pay by card, not bank transfer.
- Write a short 'safe meet-up' checklist with a parent: public place, daylight, someone with you, test the item, pay only on handover.
- Open your marketplace app's settings and switch on any option to hide your phone number.
Gaming, social media and giveaway scams
- Turn on 2-step verification on your main email, your most-used social app and your main gaming account this week.
- Remove any saved bank card from games or app stores you do not use often, or ask a parent to set a purchase approval.
- Agree a 'call first' rule with your friends: nobody sends money or codes because of a message, even from each other's accounts.
Fake jobs, easy money and money mules
- Read through your social media messages and job sites for any 'easy money' offers, and practise spotting the red flags in them.
- Talk with a parent about what you would do if money you did not expect appeared in your account.
- Save your bank's official contact number and its fraud reporting option in your phone.
Investment, crypto, romance and pyramid scams
- Pick one investment or crypto advert from your social feed and test it against the MoI's five warning signs.
- Learn how to do a reverse image search on your phone, and try it on a profile photo of a public figure.
- Talk with a parent about how they check whether a financial company is licensed in the UAE.
Identity theft and protecting your personal data
- Search your social media for any posts showing ID cards, boarding passes, bank cards or your exact address, and delete or archive them.
- Clear old ID photos from your phone's gallery, downloads and chat media.
- Make a watermarked copy of your ID for the next time a form needs one.
If it happens: what to do, step by step
- Save in your phone: your bank's fraud number, 999, Dubai Police 901 or Abu Dhabi Aman 8002626 (depending on where you live), and the link to your local police's online reporting service.
- Open the Dubai Police app or the Abu Dhabi Police website with a parent and find the online reporting option, so you know where it is before you need it.
- Write a short 'if I get scammed' plan on a card: Stop, call bank, change passwords, screenshot, report, tell someone.

Quiz

Name: ______________________ Date: ____________ Circle one answer for each question.

1. According to the FTC, which of these is one of the four signs of a scam?

They give you plenty of time to decide
They pressure you to act immediately
They tell you to call the number on your bank card
They suggest you check with your family first

2. A caller says he is from the Central Bank of the UAE and that your debit card has been blocked. What does the Central Bank say?

It never contacts people to tell them their card is blocked
It calls first and asks you to confirm your card number
It texts a link so you can unblock the card online yourself
It phones customers at weekends to warn them about blocked cards

3. A caller says he is from your bank and needs the OTP you just received to 'secure your account'. What should you do?

Hang up and call your bank on the number on your card
Send the OTP to him by text instead of saying it aloud
Share only the first half of the OTP so he cannot use it
Read out the OTP, since he already knows your full name

4. You receive a text asking you to pay Dh5 through a link to release a parcel. What is the safest response?

Do not click; check with the courier's official app or website
Reply to the text and ask the sender for the tracking details
Forward it to your friends to check whether they got one too
Pay through the link quickly, since the amount is so small

5. What does the NCSC say about paying an online shop by direct bank transfer?

Never do it
It is the safest method
It is fine if the price is low
It is fine if the shop uses a logo you know

6. You are selling a bike. A 'buyer' sends a link that looks like a courier page saying they have paid, and asks for your card number to release the money. What is happening?

It is a scam: you never need to enter card details to receive money
It is the normal way couriers pay sellers for marketplace items
It is safe if you enter only the card number and not the CVV
It is genuine, because the page shows the courier's real logo and name

7. A player offers you free Robux if you share your login details. What are they most likely after?

Testing a new game feature before it is released to everyone
Your account and any personal or payment details on it
Giving away spare currency they no longer need
Helping you level up faster so you can join their team

8. An account that looks like a famous brand says you have won a phone but must pay a Dh50 'shipping fee'. What does the FTC say?

If you have to pay to get your prize, it is a scam
It is safe to pay if the account has the brand's real logo
Shipping fees are normal, so pay if the amount is small
Pay by gift card, since that keeps your bank details private

9. According to the FBI, what is a money mule?

Someone who moves illegally acquired money for someone else
A bank employee whose job is to check transfers for fraud
A courier who delivers parcels between cities for an online shop
A student who saves part of their allowance every month

10. A stranger says he sent Dh2,000 to your account by mistake and asks you to transfer it to his cousin's account. What should you do?

Withdraw it in cash and hand it to him in person
Send it on to the cousin's account quickly, as he asked
Leave the money untouched and report it to your bank
Spend it, because it is now in your account

11. Which is one of the UAE Ministry of Interior's signs of investment fraud?

A licence you can confirm with the regulator
A clear written explanation of risks
Time to think before deciding
Large returns promised in a short time

12. A platform promises 10 per cent profit every month with zero risk. What did Dubai Police say about offers like this?

They are normal for licensed banks and investment firms
They are realistic for platforms that advertise on social media
They are unrealistic: high profits always come with high risks
They are safe as long as several friends have already joined

13. What is SIM-swap fraud?

Swapping SIM cards with a friend so you share a phone plan
Using two SIM cards in one phone for work and personal calls
Moving to a cheaper phone plan without telling your bank
A criminal takes over your number to receive your bank OTPs

14. A form asks for a copy of your Emirates ID. What is the safest way to send it?

Watermark it with the date and purpose, or use UAE PASS verification
Send it together with your bank login so they can verify you
Post it in a public group so the organisation can find it there
Send an unmarked, high-resolution photo by WhatsApp so every detail is clear

15. You have just realised you paid a scammer by card. What should you do first?

Post about it online to warn other people first
Message the scammer and politely ask for a refund
Call your bank immediately on its official number
Wait a week to see whether the item arrives after all

16. Before blocking a scammer, what should you do?

Change your own username and profile photo straight away
Send them a final warning that you will go to the police
Save screenshots of the chat, profile and payment details
Delete the whole chat so they cannot message you again

Answer key

B: FTC: scammers pressure you to act immediately. Honest businesses give you time to decide.
A: Central Bank of the UAE (2019): CBUAE never contacts persons or businesses to inform them that their credit or debit card is blocked.
A: ADCB: anyone requesting an OTP over the phone is almost certainly trying to defraud you. Dubai Police: no government or banking agency will ask for your CVV or OTP.
A: Khaleej Times, reporting UAE police warnings: fake parcel-fee messages lead to pages that steal card details and CVV codes; verify on the courier's official site or app.
A: NCSC: never pay by direct bank transfer when shopping online.
A: dubizzle: scammers pose as dubizzle or courier companies with fake payment pages; dubizzle does not take payments on your behalf, and you should not share card details.
B: Norton: free-currency offers are usually a way to take over your account; scammers never send the currency.
A: FTC: if you have to pay to get your prize, it's a scam; scammers use labels like taxes, shipping and processing fees.
A: FBI: a money mule is someone who transfers or moves illegally acquired money on behalf of someone else.
C: Khaleej Times (2025): keep the money untouched, report it to your bank, and do not transfer money to strangers; genuine reversals go through the banking system.
D: Khaleej Times (2026), reporting the MoI: signs include pressure to invest right away and large returns in a short time.
C: Gulf News (2025): Dubai Police's Anti-Fraud Centre treated fixed monthly profits of up to 10 per cent with zero risk as a red flag.
D: Khaleej Times (2026): SIM-swap fraud lets attackers take over telecom accounts and intercept banking OTPs.
A: Khaleej Times (2026): add watermarks, dates and purpose labels; prefer UAE PASS verification; avoid unsecured channels.
C: FTC: contact your bank right away, using the number on the back of your card or the official app, and ask for the payment to be reversed or refunded.
C: Emirates 24|7, describing Dubai Police eCrime Hub advice: take screenshots or save evidence of the suspicious activity, then report it.

General information only, written from the sources listed in each online lesson. Laws, numbers and services change, so check official sources. Life-Ready Society, https://lifereadysociety.com/scams/