Dubai Court jails scammers who posed as police, defrauded man of Dh9,900

Dubai Misdemeanours Court has sentenced five Asian men to one month in jail, followed by deportation, for impersonating police officers and defrauding an Arab national of Dh9,900 ($2,700). The court also issued a combined fine of Dh9,900 ($2,700) against the group for their involvement in the scam.


Scam Details and Victim’s Complaint

The incident occurred in March, when the victim received a phone call from one of the scammers claiming to be a Dubai police officer. The caller falsely informed him that his bank account would be frozen unless he immediately updated his information.

Panicked by the warning, the man provided his bank details. Shortly afterward, he realised that Dh9,900 ($2,700) had been withdrawn without his consent.


Police Investigation and Arrest

Dubai Police traced the call to an apartment in Deira, where the suspects had been operating. During the raid, officers seized multiple smartphones, some of which were hidden in shoes and plastic bags to evade detection. Forensic analysis confirmed that one of the confiscated phones had been used to contact the complainant.

During questioning, the defendants admitted to acting under the orders of a man who had rented the apartment and later left the country. He gave them instructions remotely, used stolen bank information to withdraw funds, and paid each of them a monthly salary between Dh1,800 and Dh2,000 ($490–$545).


Court Verdict and Public Warning

The court found all five men guilty of:

• Fraud
  
  
• Impersonating police officers
  
  
• Illegally obtaining banking information
  
  

In addition to serving a month-long jail sentence, the convicts will be deported after completing their term.

Dubai Police issued a strong reminder to the public to stay alert against such scams.

“Dubai Police do not request banking information over the phone under any circumstances. Any such call should be considered suspicious,” a police spokesperson said to a local media outlet.
“If you receive such a call, do not engage. End the conversation and report it immediately through the Dubai Police app or by calling 901,” the spokesperson added.