Dubai Police arrest two over Dh11.8m phone scams

Two individuals were apprehended in Dubai in relation to phone scams that swindled over Dh11.8 million ($3.2 million) from their targets. The Dubai Police's Anti-Fraud Centre conducted the arrests after uncovering instances where the perpetrators allegedly posed as representatives of official and international organizations to deceive residents and defraud them.

The victims were contacted by phone and led to believe they were mentioned in legal disputes overseas. The fraudsters used intimidation tactics, warning victims of legal repercussions and demanding transfers of funds to offshore bank accounts. They falsely claimed these transfers were necessary to confirm the authenticity of the victims' finances.

Suspects allegedly coerced victims into selling valuable possessions like gold jewelry, promising to reimburse them upon successful verification. The scammers also instructed residents to isolate themselves by booking accommodations and severing ties with others until confirmation of their innocence was received. Following the disclosure of the scams, Dubai Police established a task force within the Anti-Fraud Centre to scrutinize data and track the stolen funds.

This led to the identification and arrest of the two suspects, who subsequently confessed to their roles in the phone fraud. They revealed they had been recruited through social media by an external entity, who provided them with victim information and communication protocols via an app. Phone records from the suspects revealed victim details and conversation logs tied to the fraud scheme.

Dubai Police advised residents to be vigilant when faced with suspicious calls or messages from entities claiming to represent government bodies, international organizations, or other official entities. They emphasized the importance of verifying communication sources through official channels. The force highlighted its ongoing efforts to combat all forms of fraud and pledged to pursue all involved in similar scams.

They encouraged the public to report any fraud attempts via the eCrime platform or by contacting the 901 call center.