Qatar- Video callers asked to be cautious

Date

9/7/2015 7:53:34 AM

(MENAFN- The Peninsula)

DOHA: The Ministry of Interior (MOI) has warned residents to use video calling cautiously as it can be easily accessed by hackers for blackmailing.

The ministry has caught many persons who tried to blackmail nationals and expatriates through video call communications.

The Department of Criminal Research has received many complaints in the recent past from people in Qatar who have paid money to such blackmailers.

According to the officials some girls use their pictures and video as a bait to befriend people active on social media. Once they become friends and get hold of private pictures and videos they demand money and threaten to make their private pictures and videos public.

Speaking to magazine Al Shurta Ma’ak Brigadier Mohamed Ibrahim Al Jufairi Assistant Director of Criminal Search Department said internet telephony has many advantages but at the same time it can be dangerous. Video calls can be easily accessed by hackers for spying stealing personal information recording videos and damaging devices.

He added that there are many virus software which are used by hackers to record audio and video. The good news is that there are many programs available in the digital market to block such virus software.

Users should update their safety software regularly and should not download programs from unreliable sources or any free protection software.

Video calls among husband wife and children can be easily accessed by hackers for blackmailing he added.

First Lieutenant Madawi Al Qahtani Officer at the Cyber Crime Protection Centre at MOI said important or personal data should not be shared on social media or in other internet communication.

Some pictures and videos when shared can be used to identify the location of the users. Most cyber crimes that have come to light are related to threatening and hacking email or social media accounts.

One of the most prevalent cyber crimes in Qatar is blackmailing stealing personal information and defamation for financial motives he said.

First Lieutenant Jassim Yusuf Al Kuwari Officer at the Cyber Crime Protection Centre said that some male users create fake online profiles of women and send immoral photos and videos to make friends. All this starts after receiving a message through social media seeking friendship. After some time the fake user asks the new-found friend to send his private videos. Once the blackmailer gets these he threatens to make the pictures public and demands money not to do so.

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