Abu Dhabi Police investigated 774 cybercrime cases in 2017, of which 206 were categorised as blackmail.

Brigadier Tariq Al-Ghoul, Director of the Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Investigation, disclosed that the Abu Dhabi Police were taking extra care to combat cybercrimes with innovative methods and technologies. He also called upon the public to safely use the internet, to avoid fraud and blackmail, and becoming involved in criminal cases. He also cautioned about instances of spamming and fraud, and avoiding falling prey to cybercrimes, along with the necessity of being careful with what is published on websites or social media, to preserve the confidentiality of individual's data and privacy.

He also emphasised the role of the Combating Cyber Crimes Department in the Directorate of Criminal Investigation, in dealing professionally with these reports and relying on the best practices and advanced international standards to be a valuable and corroborating source of evidence against perpetrators of these new types of crimes.

He advised any person who faces any type of cybercrime to not hesitate to contact the police, stressing that Abu Dhabi Police places great importance in combating these crime, while maintaining total secrecy, professionalism and transparency.

© Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2018.