Online shoppers in the UAE need to be extra vigilant about email fraud during the annual Cyber Monday, Yellow Friday and Black Friday sales, according to cybersecurity company Proofpoint.
Consumers are at a risk of falling prey to email fraud as 85 per cent of the top 20 online retailers in the Emirates are not actively blocking fraudulent emails from reaching their customers, leaving them exposed to cyber attacks, the company said.
“Retailers should prioritise protecting themselves and their customers by implementing simple, yet effective email authentication best practices,” Emile Abou Saleh, regional director at Proofpoint for Middle East and Africa region, said.
“Ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, consumers must remain vigilant and check the validity of all emails … especially at a time when their attention is more likely to be focused on grabbing the best deals,” he added.
Almost 65 per cent of the online retailers have not published Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance (DMARC) record in the UAE, Proofpoint found.
DMARC helps retailers create a record of authorised individuals who can send emails from their official domain. This helps prevent the misuse of a company brand in phishing campaigns.
“With greater numbers of people now online, organisations in all sectors should deploy authentication protocols, such as DMARC, to bolster their email fraud defences and protect customers and businesses,” Mr Saleh said.
Cybercriminals regularly use the method of domain spoofing to pose as well-known brands, by sending an email from a supposedly legitimate address.
These emails are designed to trick people into clicking on links or sharing personal details which can then be used to steal money or identities.
Only 15 per cent of leading retailers in the UAE have implemented the strictest and recommended level of DMARC protection, which actively blocks fraudulent emails from reaching their intended target, said Proofpoint that analysed the primary corporate domains of the top 20 online retailers in the UAE.
Similar to other parts of the world, consumers in the Middle East have pivoted to online shopping during the pandemic and e-commerce has surged as a result compared to a year ago before the health crisis. The GCC's e-commerce sector is predicted to more than double to $50 billion in the next five years, up from $24bn this year, according to consultancy Kearney.
Noon.com’s Yellow Friday, running from November 23-29, and Amazon’s White Friday sales from November 24-30, offer customers up to 70 per cent in discounts when shopping online.
With Black Friday (November 27) and Cyber Monday (November 30) approaching, online retail traffic is expected to surge to an annual high.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Is it worth it? We put cheesecake frap to the test.
The verdict from the nutritionists is damning. But does a cheesecake frappuccino taste good enough to merit the indulgence?
My advice is to only go there if you have unusually sweet tooth. I like my puddings, but this was a bit much even for me. The first hit is a winner, but it's downhill, slowly, from there. Each sip is a little less satisfying than the last, and maybe it was just all that sugar, but it isn't long before the rush is replaced by a creeping remorse. And half of the thing is still left.
The caramel version is far superior to the blueberry, too. If someone put a full caramel cheesecake through a liquidiser and scooped out the contents, it would probably taste something like this. Blueberry, on the other hand, has more of an artificial taste. It's like someone has tried to invent this drink in a lab, and while early results were promising, they're still in the testing phase. It isn't terrible, but something isn't quite right either.
So if you want an experience, go for a small, and opt for the caramel. But if you want a cheesecake, it's probably more satisfying, and not quite as unhealthy, to just order the real thing.
MATCH INFO
Fulham 0
Aston Villa 3 (Grealish 4', Hourihane 15', Mings 48')
Man of the match: Jack Grealish (Aston Villa)
Tuesday's fixtures
Kyrgyzstan v Qatar, 5.45pm
UAE%20ILT20
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