Fraudsters ‘weaponising’ social media

By the Editorial Team · Sunday, October 18, 2026

Cybersecurity experts warn that fraudsters are increasingly exploiting publicly available social media information to conduct identity theft, financial scams, and account hijacking through sophisticated social engineering tactics. Authorities urge users to be cautious about oversharing personal details and to verify suspicious requests, as these manipulative attacks can compromise the security of individuals and their wider social circles.

Cybersecurity experts have issued warnings about the growing use of publicly available social media information by fraudsters to carry out financial scams, identity theft, and account hijacking. They emphasize that oversharing personal details online can make individuals and their extended contacts vulnerable to sophisticated social engineering attacks, which manipulate trust to extract sensitive data.

The Ministry of Interior (MoI) has highlighted social engineering as a prevalent threat, describing it as a type of fraud that coerces individuals into revealing confidential information or performing actions that compromise security. The ministry also advised the public to carefully verify the identities of advertisers before engaging with sponsored content on social media platforms.

According to specialists, such as Khalid al-Ammari, criminals often do not require advanced technical skills or hacking tools to succeed. Instead, they leverage information gathered from social media profiles, online publications, and professional networking sites to impersonate trusted individuals. These impersonations are then used to create convincing scenarios, including false emergencies, fabricated claims, or deceptive messages aimed at extracting personal information from victims.

Mohammed Saeed al-Sagatri pointed out that fraudsters are capable of constructing detailed profiles by analyzing social media activity—including posts, photos, comments, and interactions—which reveal personal relationships, professional connections, and daily habits. This information enables them to identify vulnerable targets and make fraudulent requests appear more authentic. A common method involves impersonating a compromised account holder and soliciting urgent financial assistance from their contacts using familiar personal details.

Experts caution against publicly sharing travel plans, routine movements, or other personal information that could facilitate these attacks. Dr. Mohammed al-Jufairi described social engineering as a tactic that exploits human psychology to bypass technical security systems. Fraudsters may pose as employers, colleagues, or admirers to build trust before requesting login credentials or directing targets to fake websites designed to harvest information such as passwords and one-time codes.

Abdullatif Zainal raised concerns about fake platforms targeting professionals, including writers and journalists, which invite users to register and inadvertently expose reusable credentials. Such breaches can grant criminals access to email accounts and other confidential services. He emphasized that sensitive details related to passwords, investments, projects, and employers should be communicated strictly through authorized channels.

The experts collectively stress the importance of vigilance, urging social media users to verify unusual requests independently, avoid clicking suspicious links, use unique passwords across different accounts, and limit the sharing of personal information online. Their message warns that seemingly innocuous online disclosures can become potent tools for criminals, putting not just the individual but also their families, friends, and colleagues at risk.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.