Did you receive the VPN fine SMS? Officials confirm it’s ‘fabricated’
Government officials made the statement after an SMS circulated informing residents of a Dhs5,000 fine
The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has taken to Twitter to advise UAE residents that a SMS that went viral this week regarding VPN fines is fabricated.
It comes after the hoax SMS, which was sent to several Abu Dhabi residents, claimed that the UAE Telecom had noticed them using an illegal VPN. The message went on further to request the resident report to the nearest police station and pay a Dhs5,000 fine.
#Attention from #TRA
.
TRA would like to draw your attention that the circulated message about using VPN, paying AED 5000 fine, and requesting attendance to the nearest police station, is fabricated. We ask the public not to circulate such malicious messages.
.#TRA_News #VPN pic.twitter.com/smB54g4oRS— هيئة تنظيم الاتصالات (@TheUAETRA) January 23, 2018
The TRA has urged the public not to circulate ‘such malicious messages’.
Network provider Etisalat also took to their social media to highlight that the message was not from them.
Is it true?@etisalat @gulf_news @khaleejtimes pic.twitter.com/wcTQgoPOdC
— Karthik Anbalagan (@akarthee) January 22, 2018
Although this message is a hoax, Abu Dhabi residents are reminded that VPN use is regulated in the UAE. For the full information on VPN use, check out the legal view.
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