{
  "id": 12381457,
  "title": "Dubai Police arrest two over Dh11.8m phone scams",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/dubai-police-arrest-two-over-dh11-8m-phone-scams-12381457",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-06T12:26:15.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National Business",
    "slug": "the-national-business",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/uae/2026/10/06/dubai-police-arrest-two-over-dh118m-phone-scams/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Dubai law enforcement apprehended two individuals linked to a series of phone scams that defrauded over Dh11.8 million ($3.2 million) from unsuspecting residents. The Anti-Fraud Centre at Dubai Police initiated the arrests after detecting fraudulent activities where the perpetrators allegedly posed as representatives of reputable organizations to deceive the public and extort funds. The victims were lured over the phone, led to believe they were involved in legal proceedings abroad, and coerced into transferring money to accounts outside the UAE to verify their assets. Suspects allegedly promised to repay the funds once the verification process concluded. Some victims were even asked to sell valuable possessions like gold and hand over the proceeds, based on the pretense that the initial transfers were inadequate. Scammers further isolated victims by urging them to stay in hotels and cut off communication with friends and family until the fake cases were cleared. Following the disclosures of the scams, Dubai Police assembled a task force within the Anti-Fraud Centre to investigate and follow the trail of stolen money. This led to the identification and subsequent arrests of the two suspects, who confessed to their guilt, admitting to being recruited through social media platforms and receiving directives via an app. Analysis of seized phones revealed the victims' data and communication history pertinent to the fraud scheme. Dubai Police cautioned the public to remain vigilant against unsolicited calls or messages from imposters claiming to represent official entities, urging them to verify the authenticity of such communications through official sources. The force emphasized its commitment to combating all forms of fraud and vowed to pursue those responsible for the scams, while simultaneously encouraging the public to report any suspicious activities via the eCrime platform or the 901 call center.",
  "summary": "Two people have been arrested in Dubai in connection with phone scams that netted more than Dh11.8 million ($3.2 million) from their victims. Dubai Police's Anti-Fraud Centre carried out the arrests after investigators uncovered scams in which the suspects allegedly impersonated employees of official and international organisations to deceive residents and steal from them. Police said the victims…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 6,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Gulf News",
        "title": "Scammers stole Dh11.9m: Dubai Police arrest two in major fraud",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/scammers-stole-dh11-9m-dubai-police-arrest-two-in-major-fraud",
        "published": "2026-10-06T11:24:18.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Punch",
        "title": "Police arrest suspected murderer after three-month manhunt",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/police-arrest-suspected-murderer-after-three-month-manhunt",
        "published": "2026-10-06T11:50:18.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Sky News",
        "title": "Police make further arrest over RAF Fairford incident",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/police-make-further-arrest-over-raf-fairford-incident",
        "published": "2026-10-06T12:18:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The National UAE",
        "title": "Dubai Police arrest two over Dh11.8m phone scams",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/dubai-police-arrest-two-over-dh11-8m-phone-scams",
        "published": "2026-10-06T12:26:15.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Politico EU",
        "title": "Police arrest another British man in RAF Fairford investigation",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/police-arrest-another-british-man-in-raf-fairford-investigation",
        "published": "2026-10-06T13:02:11.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}