Amman, Aug. 4 (Petra) -- Information technology experts said that continuous awareness is an important measure in addressing electronic fraud, noting that such crimes often rely on exploiting limited technical knowledge or creating fear and urgency among victims.
Speaking to the Jordan News Agency (Petra), the experts said electronic fraud methods continue to develop alongside technological progress and digital transformation. They explained that fraudsters exploit citizens’ trust in official institutions by sending fake text messages impersonating government entities to carry out fraudulent activities and obtain financial information.
Mohammad Al-Kasasbeh, a computer science and network security specialist at Princess Sumaya University for Technology, said awareness is a key factor in reducing electronic fraud, as these crimes often depend on misleading users and influencing their decisions through pressure and urgency.
He said limiting such crimes requires continuous awareness campaigns through media outlets, educational programs in schools and universities, and workshops targeting employees and community members. These programs should introduce common fraud methods, including fake text messages, impersonation of government entities or banks, fake offers, and messages requesting updates to personal or banking information.
Al-Kasasbeh said awareness efforts should emphasize that official institutions and financial organizations do not request passwords, verification codes, or sensitive banking details through suspicious messages or untrusted links.
He added that users should be trained to identify signs of fraud before opening links or following instructions received through messages. Fraudulent messages often use alarming language, such as claims of traffic violations or urgent payment requests, while website addresses may differ from official domains.
He stressed the importance of checking website addresses carefully, accessing government and banking services through official websites or approved applications, avoiding unknown attachments, not sharing one-time verification codes, enabling multi-factor authentication, and regularly updating devices and security software.
Al-Kasasbeh said preventing electronic fraud requires cooperation between individuals, institutions, and relevant authorities through issuing alerts about new fraud attempts, providing reporting channels for suspicious messages and websites, and raising awareness about the differences between legitimate and fraudulent communications.
He advised users who suspect a fraudulent message not to open links or respond to the sender, but to keep a copy of the message, block the number, report the impersonated entity, and notify the relevant authorities. If personal or banking information has been shared, users should change passwords, contact their banks, and review their accounts for any suspicious activity.
Information technology consultant Engineer Abdulhamid Al-Rahamnneh said electronic fraud methods are developing alongside technological advances and digital transformation. He noted that fraudsters can now use text messages, fake websites, or phone calls to obtain data or carry out financial scams.
He said electronic fraud includes phishing messages, fake websites, impersonation of banks and government institutions, and calls in which criminals present themselves as official employees.
Al-Rahamnneh explained that the increased use of electronic services has provided opportunities for fraudsters to exploit public trust by creating messages that appear legitimate but aim to obtain personal information or money.
He referred to fraudulent text messages recently circulated in Jordan claiming that speeding violations had been registered and asking recipients to click a link to settle the violation. He said such messages contain indicators showing they are phishing attempts.
He explained that some of these messages include links ending with "gov-jo.top", while official Jordanian government websites use the "gov.jo" domain, indicating that such links are not affiliated with government entities.
He said fraudsters often rely on creating a sense of urgency through messages requesting immediate action or warning of additional penalties. He added that fraudulent messages can also be identified by the absence of details normally included in official notifications, such as vehicle number, violation number, date, time, and location.
Digital transformation and modern technologies consultant Bilal Al-Hafnawi said the expansion of digital services has been accompanied by changes in electronic fraud methods, with criminals using fake messages that impersonate official entities.
He said SMS phishing and fake government links are among the methods used in recent electronic fraud attempts. He added that suspicious messages often rely on unofficial domains or addresses designed to resemble official websites.
Al-Hafnawi explained that fraudulent messages are often sent randomly to large numbers of users and usually lack personal details included in official notifications. He noted that fraudsters use psychological pressure by suggesting limited timeframes or additional penalties to encourage quick responses.
He said these links may direct users to fake payment pages designed to collect bank card information, security codes, or install malicious software that can access data or devices.
Al-Hafnawi called on citizens not to open links received from unknown numbers and to verify government services through official channels, including the Sanad application, the eFAWATEERcom application, or the official website of the Traffic Department. He also stressed the importance of not sharing one-time passwords (OTP) or bank card information through unofficial links or websites.
//Petra//WH
