Dubai Police arrest two suspects in phone scam cases involving Dh11.8 million

Dubai Police have arrested two people accused of carrying out a series of phone scams by impersonating employees of official and international organisations and tricking residents into transferring money.

According to police, the scams resulted in financial losses of Dh11,877,532.

The Anti-Fraud Centre launched an investigation after receiving reports from victims who said they had been contacted by people claiming their names had appeared in cases and files outside the UAE.

Suspects Threatened Victims With Legal Action

The suspects allegedly used intimidation and psychological pressure to convince victims that they were facing legal consequences.

Victims were instructed to transfer money from their bank accounts to accounts outside the UAE. The suspects reportedly claimed the funds would be checked and returned once the victims' identities and financial activities were verified.

The threats were allegedly used to create a sense of urgency and prevent victims from questioning the requests.

Victims Were Asked to Sell Gold

Investigators found that the suspects allegedly increased the pressure when victims did not transfer enough money.

In some cases, victims were instructed to sell their gold jewellery and send the proceeds, with the suspects claiming that the amount previously transferred was insufficient to complete the supposed verification process.

The suspects also allegedly asked some victims to book hotel rooms and told others to cut off communication until they received confirmation that they were not connected to the alleged cases.

Police said these tactics were intended to isolate victims and maintain control over them while the fraud continued.

Dubai Police Trace Money Transfers

Following complaints, Dubai Police formed a specialised task force to analyse the available data and trace the movement of the transferred funds.

Investigators identified two individuals allegedly involved in contacting and luring victims. The suspects were subsequently arrested and legal proceedings were initiated against them.

During questioning, the two suspects reportedly admitted to carrying out the phone fraud.

According to the investigation, the suspects told police they had connected with an entity outside the UAE through social media.

They allegedly received payments for every successful fraud and were provided with victims' personal information along with instructions on how to communicate with them.

Police examinations of the suspects' seized mobile phones reportedly uncovered victims' personal data and conversations linked to the fraud cases under investigation.

The findings provided additional evidence connecting the suspects to the alleged offences.

Dubai Police Issue Warning Over Phone Scams

Dubai Police urged residents to remain cautious when receiving suspicious calls or messages from people claiming to represent government bodies, official organisations or international entities.

Residents were advised to be particularly careful when callers request:

Money transfers
Banking information
Personal details
Urgent financial transactions
Access to accounts or other sensitive information

Police also warned residents not to give in to threats or psychological pressure and advised them to independently verify the identity of callers through official channels.

Dubai Police said it continues to monitor new fraud methods and take action against individuals involved in financial crimes.

Residents who encounter suspected fraud attempts can report them through official channels, including the eCrime platform or the 901 call centre.