Dubai Police has arrested two individuals linked to a phone fraud scheme that cost multiple residents a combined AED 11,877,532, the Anti-Fraud Centre confirmed.
The suspects contacted victims by phone, falsely claiming their names had appeared in legal cases abroad. Victims were told their bank funds needed to be transferred to overseas accounts for verification, with promises that the money would be returned once cleared.
In some cases, the fraudsters instructed victims to sell gold jewellery and wire the proceeds, telling them the amounts transferred were not sufficient to complete the purported verification.
Victims were also asked to book hotel rooms and sever contact with family and friends until they received confirmation, a tactic designed to deepen psychological control and sustain the deception.
Upon receiving the first reports, Dubai Police formed a task force within the Anti-Fraud Centre to trace the flow of funds and identify those behind the calls.
That investigation led to the arrest of two individuals. During questioning, both admitted to the offences and said they had been recruited through social media by an entity operating outside the UAE, which paid them per successful fraud.
Victim data and communication instructions were passed to them through a dedicated application. Phones seized during the arrests contained victim records and conversations consistent with the fraud reports, the Force said.
Dubai Police urged residents not to comply with demands from unsolicited callers claiming to represent official bodies, particularly when those calls involve requests to transfer money or share banking details.
The Force also reminded the public that intimidation and legal threats from unknown callers should be verified through official channels before any action is taken. Fraud attempts can be reported via the eCrime platform or by calling 901.
