Baghdad: The Cyber-security Directorate on Sunday warned of suspicious links impersonating official and public service entities and seeking to steal citizens’ personal and banking data.

According to Iraqi News Agency, the directorate stated that these suspicious links are being circulated through messages and social media platforms, posing as official or service entities. These links direct citizens to fake websites designed to steal personal and banking information or gain unauthorized access to accounts and devices.

The fraudulent links employ various tactics to entice users, such as inquiries about fines and traffic violations, requests to update personal information, notifications about receiving payments or grants, and warnings about potential service suspensions.

The directorate urged citizens to refrain from clicking on links from unknown sources or entering passwords, banking information, or one-time passwords (OTPs). It also advised accessing government services solely through official websites an
d applications, and warned against downloading applications or files from untrustworthy links.

The Cyber-security Directorate emphasized that digital awareness serves as ‘the first line of defense’ against online fraud and phishing. It highlighted that exercising caution when dealing with electronic links and messages can prevent numerous cases of data theft and account takeovers.