Dubai Police retrieve Dh1 million after fraudster impersonates official to trick woman
The deception
While travelling abroad for a holiday, the woman received a call from a person who claimed to represent a government entity. The caller told her that her bank account was under suspicion and that it needed to be verified. He also warned her not to discuss the matter with anyone, saying that doing so could compromise the case.
Lieutenant Colonel Ali Al Yamahi, Director of the Anti-Cybercrime Centre at Dubai Police’s General Department of Criminal Investigation, said the suspect exploited the woman’s trust and fear to make her follow his instructions.
After she returned to the UAE, the fraudster asked her to transfer her funds to an account he specified, promising the money would be returned once the checks were complete. He then told her to go to the bank to reclaim her account, but because it was an official bank holiday, he said a staff member would meet her there instead.
The wait and the recovery
The woman waited for several hours at the bank, but no one arrived. Realising she had been tricked, she reported the incident to Dubai Police. Officers responded immediately and formed a specialised security team. Within a short period, the full amount — more than Dh1 million — was recovered and returned to her, Al Yamahi said.
Al Yamahi noted that the case shows how fraudsters continue to impersonate government officials and exploit victims’ fears to persuade them to transfer money under the pretext of security checks or bank account verification.
Public warning
Al Yamahi urged the public to always check the credibility of websites before entering personal or banking details. He also warned against sharing credit card numbers or bank account data with people or organisations that cannot be trusted.
