1. Begging
You may fall prey to beggars who try to take advantage of devotees during Ramadan. In Dubai, authorities have an anti-begging campaign during Ramadan in which they patrol public spaces to round up beggars. Practice caution when interacting with beggars and donate to communities or charities if possible.
2. Fake charity appeals
View charity appeals to donate to current issues or causes. The United Kingdom’s Charity Commission had to issue a warning warning people about fake fundraisers, especially for earthquake victims in Turkey.
Make sure to do simple checks to make sure your donation is going to its intended destination.
3. Voucher Scam
You can get online shopping vouchers that claim to give you discounts for Ramadan. Scammers usually send them as links on WhatsApp that take you to a page where you have to fill in personal data.
If you get a link from an unknown number, ignore it.
4. Loan scam
Money lenders are increasing especially online. They claim to have instant loans with high value and no collaterals. They may offer Ramadan bonuses which may easily fall to them. However, scammers often offer links that take personal data, which can lead to loss of money and important information.
5. Holiday winnings
Another method used by scammers to trap people during Ramadan is to claim that you have won a prize in a season bonus over the phone or another channel. They may claim to be affiliated with banks, e-commerce businesses or other financial institutions. They may ask for sensitive information leading to loss of money.
Also, beware of data update scammers. They may send you a link similar to your service provider’s link that can be used to try to re-enter your data and access your accounts.
Many scams happen during Ramadan. The list may be longer than the above but they can all be avoided by being careful and responsible with money and personal data.
