Dubai police warn against clicking hacked link jamming '999' line

Dubai police have revealed they were the victim of a cyber attack and have warned the public against clicking on dubious online links.

The message on the force’s Twitter page yesterday stated that links had been spread on websites and through BlackBerry and social media networks, telling people to click on it to see a “close-up picture of the sun”. But when people did they were unknowingly connected to the 999 emergency call centre.

“This is not the first time people have been publishing disturbing links which dial 999. It causes problems as people who really need a quick response for an emergency are affected,” Dubai Police tweeted. The head of Dubai Police command room, Brigadier Omar Abdul Aziz, added: “Because many people have smartphones it is easy for such with eye-catching titles to be published.

Dubai Police warned that those who create such links will be prosecuted. “Their acts might cause others, who are in accidents, to die. They know that 999 will receive many calls which can shutdown the system or make delays.

“We will hunt down the offender behind this link and present him to court.”

In October there was a similar scam when the Dubai Police command room received thousands of calls when a man put it on a link for the Emirati singer Shamma Hamdan and people clicked on it believing they would speak with her.

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