The UAE’s rapid shift to digital services has brought ease but also opened new avenues for financial crime. Scammers use tactics such as fake investments, identity theft and phishing, leading to repeated warnings from authorities. These schemes exploit trust and urgency, highlighting the need for practical, accessible anti-fraud education.
Amid these rising digital risks, Emirates NBD has taken a comprehensive approach, building on the established #UnitedAgainstFraud campaign to reach people across multiple channels, from social media, interactive experiences, community sessions to workplaces and public spaces.
The bank approaches fraud prevention as a shared responsibility, combining guidance, practical tools and hands-on awareness so that individuals can recognise scams and respond effectively.
Across social media, community sessions, taxi activations and residential campaigns, Emirates NBD’s #UnitedAgainstFraud initiatives have made a tangible impact: generating 67 million impressions, reaching 39 million people, achieving 64 million views and registering 164,000 engagements so far.
These results highlight the success of a multi-channel strategy that blends education, interaction and practical guidance. By engaging different audiences in varied environments, the bank ensures that awareness extends beyond digital platforms into real-life situations, demonstrating the tangible impact of its anti-fraud efforts.
Spot the Fraudster
One of the cornerstones of Emirates NBD’s efforts is the ongoing ‘Spot the Fraudster’ series on Instagram, launched on 4 June. The series uses short, interactive videos that challenge viewers to identify fraudulent actors in realistic scenarios, combining education with engagement.
The campaign presents a variety of interactive exercises: in one, viewers are invited to spot the scammer for a chance to win AED 2,000, emphasising that awareness can put consumers a step ahead, even as scammers grow more sophisticated.
In a further interactive exercise, viewers are challenged to identify the fraudster among multiple options, underlining the campaign’s broader goal of raising awareness about common fraud tactics.
Looking ahead, the bank is preparing a new season of Spot the Fraudster in collaboration with the influencer Sundeep_Comedy. This upcoming season promises fresh scenarios and interactive elements to keep audiences engaged and vigilant.
Furthermore, the bank is also working with Sundeep on another collaboration called Scam the Scammer, with the clear key message: “Think before you trust what you see or hear, stay safe”.
In August, the Spot the Fraudsters taxi activation extended the campaign beyond digital platforms. Collaborating with Binary and supported by Hala Ride and DTC UAE, Emirates NBD placed interactive fraud-awareness quizzes inside taxis, turning everyday journeys into learning experiences. The campaign reached thousands of passengers, offering practical lessons in recognising scams while they travelled around Dubai.
A follow-up video published on 31 October reported the campaign’s results. More than 600,000 passengers engaged with the activation, with more than 37,000 participants. The engagement rate exceeded 6 per cent, demonstrating the effectiveness of bringing education directly to the public in unexpected, accessible ways.
The Ripple Effect
The Ripple Effect video series illustrates how a single act of fraud can have far-reaching consequences. On 6 August, a video in the series featured Walid, a devoted father and film editor, whose minor mistake sets off a spiral of outcomes affecting others.
This series delivers a clear, practical lesson: scams are not isolated incidents. Reporting and preventing fraud can protect individuals and communities alike. By combining storytelling with educational content, Emirates NBD makes complex concepts memorable and relatable.
Practical Lessons
Given that students and employees are particularly exposed to scams, Emirates NBD has expanded its initiatives into campuses and workplaces, delivering structured sessions that combine practical guidance with hands-on awareness to equip participants with the skills to spot and respond to fraud.
Partnerships with universities and workplaces extend the reach of fraud awareness. Students
and employees serve as multipliers, sharing knowledge with family, friends and colleagues. This ensures that campaigns not only inform the immediate audience but also foster a broader culture of vigilance.
The combination of digital content, interactive exercises and practical tools exemplifies a sustainable, long-term approach to financial education. Consumers learn not just to recognise fraud but also to adopt behaviours that reduce vulnerability over time.
Building on this approach, in July, students at the University of Wollongong Dubai joined a masterclass designed to improve their ability to recognise scams, with exercises that made learning interactive and memorable.
Through its United Against Fraud campaign, the bank also actively educates labourers in camps on safe banking and financial literacy to stop them from falling victim to scams. This vital outreach was demonstrated by a dedicated fraud-awareness session at Dulsco labour camp held in October.
During this session, the host explained it was part of the United Against Fraud initiative, covering common threats like WhatsApp or SMS prize messages and fraudulent calls. An interactive quiz challenged participants with scenarios such as a friend’s Instagram account sending a suspicious link.
Workers expressed appreciation, with one noting, “It has been such a beautiful initiative and, um, our employees have for sure learned something new”. Another worker shared, “The event I’ve had today, I’ve gained a lot. I’ve learned that always to keep my money safe and to be a good defender, protecting my money. I know that if they send me messages, which are not real, I’m supposed to report the Dubai police. I’m not supposed to open up any messages. If I see something, I don’t understand anything suspicious, I must report it to the Dubai Police.” This provided direct, practical advice to a particularly vulnerable part of the population.
The bank also conducted a dedicated session for Khazna employees in November. The session aimed to educate and engage staff on various types of fraud, how to identify them and preventive measures.
The format includes an awareness presentation offering key insights on common fraud scenarios, risks, and protective measures, alongside interactive engagement with a Q&A session to address employees’ questions and reinforce learning. This highlights the bank’s comprehensive view of fraud prevention and recognises that a well-informed internal team is crucial for overall security.
Tools for financial safety
Besides these anti-fraud awareness videos, the bank complements its initiatives with practical tools designed to give customers greater control over their finances. Through video demonstrations and guidance clips, users learn to counter specific threats and adopt safe practices:
– Country Limit for Your Card ( 7 August): Launched on 7th August, the video explained how cardholders can restrict transactions to specific countries using the ENBD X app, reducing the risk of unauthorised international charges.
– Magic Pen Scam (3 October): This video highlighted how disappearing ink can be exploited in financial scams, advising customers to use their own pen, verify requests carefully, and stay vigilant.
– In-App Authentication (21 October): A video showed how users can approve payments via tap or fingerprint within the app, ensuring secure transactions without delays.
– Smart Home Fraud (28 October): The video warned about potential risks from connected devices and provided practical steps, such as using strong passwords and updating devices regularly.
– Deepfake Awareness (24 October): A video educated viewers on digitally fabricated content, offering tips to recognise and avoid manipulated media.
These videos pair practical demonstrations with actionable advice, ensuring customers gain both awareness and tools to safeguard their finances effectively.
“The combination of digital content, interactive exercises and practical tools exemplifies a sustainable, long-term approach to financial education.”
Educating in everyday environments with campaigns
Building on these in-person and digital initiatives, Emirates NBD also explored everyday environments to educate the public about fraud.
In October, the bank launched a campaign using residential elevator screens. The activation displayed “too good to be true” offers, such as desert safaris for AED 1 or iPhones for AED 35, prompting residents to scan QR codes that directed them to a dedicated Emirates NBD webpage.
The page revealed the offers were fake and included joint branding from Emirates NBD, Dubai Police and the Central Bank of the UAE, reinforcing the legitimacy of the guidance. By turning curiosity into an educational opportunity, this campaign demonstrated how everyday experiences can be used to teach fraud awareness in an interactive way.
In addition to videos and in-person sessions, Emirates NBD employs radio activations throughout the year, with competitions and tips that reach wider audiences. This holistic approach ensures that lessons on fraud prevention are delivered through diverse touchpoints, increasing recall and practical adoption.
Building a culture of vigilance with anti-fraud campaigns
Through this combination of social media engagement, interactive storytelling, practical tools, campus and workplace education, residential activations and radio outreach, the bank has built a robust anti-fraud ecosystem. Individuals not only recognise scams but also gain confidence in reporting suspicious activity and taking steps to protect themselves.
Overall, the bank’s #UnitedAgainstFraud campaigns demonstrate a comprehensive, practical, and engaging approach to combating financial scams. From Instagram challenges and AI-powered storytelling to taxi quizzes, campus sessions and residential elevator activations, the bank has created a wide-reaching programme that educates, engages, and equips the public to act.
By combining innovative content, interactive tools, and in-person engagement, the bank aims to empower individuals to protect themselves against evolving fraud risks. The campaign’s reach and engagement metrics reflect the success of a multi-faceted strategy designed for a modern, digitally connected population.
Ultimately, these initiatives highlight the importance of awareness, practical skills, and reporting, reinforcing a culture of vigilance. The bank continues to set a benchmark for how financial institutions can proactively educate and safeguard the communities they serve.
