Dubai Police have arrested a group of individuals for posting fabricated negative reviews on a company’s Google Maps page in a coordinated attempt to damage its reputation and cause financial harm.
The case came to light after the targeted company filed a complaint with police. Investigations by the eCrimes and Cybersecurity Department found that rival commercial shops had organised among themselves to flood the company’s Google Maps listing with false comments. The arrests followed.
Major Yasser Juma Mohammed, Head of the Social Media Crimes Section at Dubai Police’s General Department of Criminal Investigation, discussed the case in a podcast episode published Monday on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
The episode, titled “A Single Word Could Become a Case. Be Careful,” was produced by Dubai Police’s Security Media Department.
Major Yasser Juma used the case to set out the boundaries of online expression. There are always limits to expressing opinions, he said, adding that comments must not be used as a tool to harm people or their business interests.
The episode also addressed the legal exposure of users who spread or reshare unverified information online. Major Yasser Juma said electronic crimes span insult, threats, rumour-spreading, fraud, and account hacking, and stressed that users should source news from official channels and trusted individuals.
Filming another person without consent also carries legal risk if the subject files a criminal complaint, he noted, with particular caution urged during crises and emergencies.
Major Yasser Juma pointed to Dubai Police’s awareness platform eCrime Hub as a resource for residents wanting to learn more about fraud techniques and digital safety.
