The scams people report most, and how to avoid each one
1. Calls from fake bank staff, police or government officials
This is the scam UAE police warn about most. In May 2025 Dubai Police arrested three gangs, 13 people in total, who posed as police and bank staff and talked victims into reading out card security codes and one-time passwords. In March 2025 another Dubai gang posed as consumer protection staff and got victims to log in to UAE PASS, then emptied their accounts. Sharjah Police reported a surge in calls asking for verification codes in November 2025 and in July 2026 arrested seven people who posed as officials and had victims install remote-access apps.[1][2][3][4][5][6][43]
Reported in: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and nationwide
How it works
Someone calls or messages saying your card is blocked, your bank details need an update, you have a fine, or there is a problem with your residency. They may already know your name and send a matching text to look official. They then ask for your card number, CVV, OTP or PIN, ask you to approve a UAE PASS login, or ask you to install an app so they can "help". With that access they move your money out.
Red flags
- The caller asks for an OTP, CVV, PIN or UAE PASS approval
- You are asked to install a screen-sharing or remote-access app
- Threats of a fine, a blocked account, deportation or a travel ban
- A "complaint" website or official found through an advert or a search result calls you back
How to protect yourself
- Hang up and call your bank on the number on your card or in its app
- Never share a code, and never approve a UAE PASS request you did not start yourself
- Remember that GDRFA, ICP and the police do not ask for Emirates ID, passport details or OTPs by phone
- Reach government services only through their official app or website, typed in yourself
If it happened to you
- Call your bank’s fraud line at once to block cards and stop transfers
- Uninstall any remote-access app and change your banking and UAE PASS passwords
- Report to the police straight away, because quick reports let banks freeze funds
Where to report: Dubai: eCrime, the Dubai Police app or 901. Abu Dhabi: Aman 8002626. Sharjah: 06 594 3228. Anywhere: the MOI app.
2. Fake traffic fine, toll and parking messages, and fake QR codes
In April 2026 the Public Prosecution broke up a network that sent "Dh4 toll fine" texts with payment links. It received 35 reports, and 29 of them came from Dubai. The RTA warned in January 2026 about fake "unpaid fine" messages that threaten a Dh500 penalty, and Parkin warned in April 2026 about fake "outstanding payment" texts. Abu Dhabi Police and Dubai’s RTA have also warned about fake QR stickers placed on parking meters and signs.[7][8][9][10][45]
Reported in: Mostly Dubai; also Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah and nationwide
How it works
You get a text saying you owe a small fine, toll or parking fee and must pay today to avoid a bigger penalty. The link opens a page that looks like the RTA, Salik, Darb, Parkin or the police. The small amount is the bait: the page collects your card details and OTP, and the account is then drained. A fake QR code on a parking sign works the same way.
Red flags
- A small amount, like Dh4 or Dh50, with a threat of a much larger penalty
- The text comes from an international or unknown number, not the authority’s name
- A link instead of a reference you can check in the official app
- A QR sticker placed over a sign or meter
How to protect yourself
- Check fines only in the official RTA, Salik, Darb, Parkin or police apps
- Do not click payment links in text messages
- Do not scan QR codes that are not printed as part of an official sign
If it happened to you
- Call your bank and block the card
- Report the text and the website to the police
- Check your statement for further charges over the next weeks
Where to report: Dubai: eCrime or 901. Abu Dhabi: Aman 8002626. Report spam texts to the TDRA too.
3. Fake parcel delivery and customs fee messages
In September 2025 Abu Dhabi Police and the UAE Cybersecurity Council said they had received several complaints about emails and texts asking for a Dh3 fee to release a "pending shipment", sent by networks based outside the country. In April 2026 Sharjah Police arrested four people who charged victims fake customs and insurance fees for parcels, part of a case where more than Dh3 million was stolen.[11][12][13]
Reported in: Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and nationwide
How it works
A message with a courier’s logo says your parcel is on hold and needs a small fee, a new address or customs duty. The page asks for card details and then an OTP. Some versions ask for personal data "for tracking", or keep adding new fees for a parcel that never existed.
Red flags
- You were not expecting a parcel
- A tiny fee, paid by link
- A sender that is not the courier’s official name or domain
- New fees appear each time you pay
How to protect yourself
- Track parcels only in the courier’s own app or website
- Never enter an OTP to "release" a parcel
- Ask the shop you bought from if you are unsure
If it happened to you
- Block the card through your bank
- Report the message and the site to the police
- Keep the message and the link as evidence
Where to report: Abu Dhabi: Aman 8002626. Dubai: eCrime. Sharjah: 06 594 3228.
4. Fake job offers and visa fees
Fake job offers and deceptive ads topped the cybercrimes reported to Sharjah Police in the first quarter of 2025. Dubai Police warned in January, July and August 2026 about offers that use real company names and ask candidates to pay for visas, training or checks, and the October 2026 national campaign highlighted AI-made fake job ads. Abu Dhabi Police has warned about fake recruitment, domestic worker and labour supply offers.[14][15][16][17][36][48][49]
Reported in: Sharjah, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and nationwide
How it works
An offer arrives on social media, WhatsApp or a jobs site, often using a well-known company’s name. The salary is attractive and the process is fast. Then you are asked to pay for a visa, a medical test, training or "processing", or to send copies of your passport and Emirates ID. The job does not exist.
Red flags
- Any request to pay for your own work visa or permit
- An interview only on chat, and a free email address
- An offer far above normal pay for the role
- Pressure to pay quickly to "hold" the job
How to protect yourself
- Remember that in the UAE the employer pays for the work permit and residence visa
- Check the company’s official careers page or call its listed number
- Do not send passport or ID copies before you have verified the employer
If it happened to you
- Stop paying and keep all messages and receipts
- Report to the police
- If you shared ID copies, tell the police so they can record possible misuse
- If an employer or recruiter in the UAE is involved, you can also complain to MOHRE, even as a foreign worker
Where to report: Sharjah: Haris service on the Sharjah Police website or WhatsApp 055 999 2158. Dubai: eCrime or 901. Abu Dhabi: Aman 8002626. Employer or recruiter: the MOHRE app or website, or the Labour Claims and Advisory Centre on 80084.
5. Investment, trading, crypto and "task" scams
Dubai Police warned in November 2025 about platforms on social media promising fixed returns of up to 10% a month with no risk, and the Ministry of Interior repeated the warning in October 2026. In April 2026 a Dubai-led operation with international partners arrested 276 people and closed nine scam centres that ran investment and virtual currency fraud. A Ministry video from June 2025 told how an engineer lost Dh42,000 to a WhatsApp "task" scam.[18][19][20][21][44]
Reported in: Dubai, Abu Dhabi and nationwide
How it works
You are invited to an app or group that shows quick profits, or to do small paid "tasks" such as liking posts. Early payouts build trust. Then you are asked to deposit more to unlock bigger returns, and when you try to withdraw, the account is "frozen" until you pay a fee or tax.
Red flags
- Guaranteed or fixed returns, especially monthly
- "Limited-time" offers and pressure to deposit now
- A firm you cannot find on a UAE regulator’s register
- Fees demanded before you can withdraw your own money
How to protect yourself
- Check the firm’s licence with the SCA, or with VARA, the DFSA or the FSRA for Dubai virtual assets, the DIFC and ADGM
- Never pay "taxes" or "unlock fees" to withdraw
- Be wary of investment tips from strangers on WhatsApp or Telegram
If it happened to you
- Stop all payments, however close the "withdrawal" seems
- Report to the police and your bank with the app name, wallet addresses and receipts
- Ignore anyone who offers to recover the money for a fee
Where to report: Dubai: eCrime or 901. Abu Dhabi: Aman 8002626. Anywhere: the MOI app. Unlicensed firms: the SCA.
6. Fake rentals, holiday homes and chalets
Dubai Police said in June 2026 that it had received several reports of fake chalet rentals, including a resident who lost Dh8,000 in a deposit and a "refundable insurance" fee. Abu Dhabi Police described a case where a Dh1,500 chalet deposit was taken and the victim’s Emirates ID was then used to open accounts for moving stolen money. Sharjah Police and Umm Al Quwain Police issued the same warning in August 2026.[22][23][24][42]
Reported in: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain
How it works
A listing with photos copied from a real property offers a flat, villa or chalet well below market price. The "owner" or "agent" says other people are interested and asks for a deposit before any viewing, sometimes also a copy of your Emirates ID.
Red flags
- A price far below similar listings
- No viewing before payment
- Payment to a personal account
- Pressure such as "filling up fast"
How to protect yourself
- View the property, or deal through a licensed agent or booking platform
- Ask for proof of ownership or a licence and an official contract and receipt
- Never send your Emirates ID to an unverified landlord
If it happened to you
- Ask your bank to recall the transfer
- Report the listing and the account to the police
- Report the advert on the platform where you saw it
Where to report: Dubai: eCrime or 901. Abu Dhabi: Aman 8002626. Sharjah: 06 594 3228.
7. Fake shop ads: gold, discounted goods, insurance and tickets
Abu Dhabi Police reported a surge in fake online gold ads in October 2025, run by networks abroad that take advance payment and vanish. Dubai Police warned about fake gold, jewellery and car insurance ads in March 2026 and about cheap fake health and motor insurance in June 2026. Abu Dhabi Police and Customs have also warned about counterfeit event tickets, and a Sharjah resident lost money after entering an OTP on a fake food-delivery page.[26][27][12][41]
Reported in: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and nationwide
How it works
A sponsored post or a page that looks like a real brand offers goods or a policy at an unusual discount. You pay in advance or enter your card details and OTP on a copy of a real website, and nothing arrives.
Red flags
- Prices well below the market, especially for gold
- Comments turned off on the seller’s page
- Advance payment by transfer only
- A website address that is slightly different from the brand’s
How to protect yourself
- Buy gold only from licensed shops
- Buy insurance from licensed insurers or brokers
- Buy tickets from the organiser or its named ticket partner
- Type the brand’s web address yourself instead of following an ad
If it happened to you
- Block the card and ask the bank to dispute the payment
- Report the page and the account to the police
- Report the ad on the social media platform
Where to report: Dubai: eCrime or 901. Abu Dhabi: Aman 8002626. Sharjah: Haris service.
8. Fake travel, hotel and flight deals
Dubai Police warned before the 2026 summer holidays about fake websites and social media accounts selling discounted packages, hotel stays and tickets. They used the logos of known travel agencies and claimed seats were limited. Victims paid into personal accounts for bookings that did not exist.[25]
Reported in: Dubai and nationwide, peaking before holidays
How it works
A deal for a trip is far cheaper than elsewhere and is about to expire. You are asked to pay by bank transfer to an individual. After payment the seller stops replying, or sends a fake booking reference.
Red flags
- Payment to a personal account
- A deal that expires within hours
- A website that copies a known agency’s logo but not its address
How to protect yourself
- Book through licensed travel agencies or directly with the airline or hotel
- Check the booking reference on the airline’s or hotel’s own site
- Pay by card, not transfer, where you can
If it happened to you
- Contact your bank to dispute or recall the payment
- Report the site to the police with all receipts
Where to report: Dubai: eCrime or 901. Elsewhere: local police or the MOI app.
9. Romance scams and online blackmail
Dubai Police told of a woman who lost about Dh12 million to a man posing online as a Dubai businessman, and said men are targeted too. The Dh3 million Sharjah case in April 2026 also used fake female profiles that invented emergencies. Sharjah Police said in November 2025 that online blackmail is rising, often starting with a promise of marriage, with demands starting around Dh15,000.[31][13][6]
Reported in: Dubai, Sharjah and nationwide
How it works
A stranger builds a close relationship online over weeks. Then there is an emergency, a customs fee for a gift, or an investment chance. In blackmail cases, private photos or video calls are recorded and used to demand money.
Red flags
- Someone you have never met in person asks for money
- They avoid live video, or the video looks odd
- Requests for private photos
- Threats to share images unless you pay
How to protect yourself
- Never send money to someone you have only met online
- Do not share private images or go on intimate video calls with strangers
- Search the person’s photos to see if they appear under other names
If it happened to you
- Do not pay a blackmailer; payment usually leads to more demands
- Stop contact but keep the chat and the account details
- Report to the police; Sharjah Police say these reports are confidential
Where to report: Sharjah: 06 594 3228 or WhatsApp 055 999 2158. Dubai: eCrime or 901. Abu Dhabi: Aman 8002626.
10. Car sales, number plates and "seized vehicle" offers
In April 2025 Dubai Police broke up a gang that posed as buyers on an online sales site, paid with forged cheques late at night at registration centres and then shipped the cars abroad. Abu Dhabi Police has warned about fake auctions of special number plates, fake "customs-seized" cars sold cheaply, and, in a 2025 Ministry video, a fake ad that took a deposit for a luxury tent.[28][29][12][30]
Reported in: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
How it works
As a seller, you are paid with a cheque that later bounces after the car is transferred. As a buyer, you pay a deposit for a car, plate or item listed far below its value, and the seller disappears.
Red flags
- A buyer who wants to complete the transfer late at night
- Payment by cheque you cannot verify before transfer
- Plates or cars priced well below official auctions
- Comments disabled on the seller’s page
How to protect yourself
- Get full payment confirmed by your bank before transferring ownership
- Buy plates only through official auction channels
- Inspect items in person before paying any deposit
If it happened to you
- Report the cheque or the deposit to the police at once
- Ask your bank to freeze or recall the transfer
Where to report: Dubai: eCrime or 901. Abu Dhabi: Aman 8002626. Anywhere: the MOI app.
11. Fake charity appeals and online begging
The UAE Cybersecurity Council said there were more than 1,200 cases of online begging in 2024, peaking in Ramadan, some using fake accounts and deepfakes. Dubai Police arrested a person who had used "charity" donations to buy property. The Abu Dhabi Judicial Department warned in February 2026 that collecting donations without a licence can mean prison and a fine of Dh200,000 to Dh500,000.[32][33]
Reported in: Nationwide, especially in Ramadan
How it works
A moving story, often with photos or video, asks for urgent help through a personal account or a payment link. The person or the cause may not exist.
Red flags
- Requests to send money to a personal account
- No licensed charity named
- Heavy emotional pressure and urgency
How to protect yourself
- Give through licensed charities and official donation channels
- Report begging accounts instead of paying them
If it happened to you
- Report the account to the police
- Ask your bank whether the payment can be recalled
Where to report: Dubai: eCrime or 901. Abu Dhabi: Aman 8002626. Anywhere: the MOI app.
12. AI voice cloning and deepfake video calls (emerging)
Sharjah Police warned in December 2025 that deepfake video calls and voice messages are being used to steal money and data, and the October 2026 national campaign by the Ministry of Interior and Dubai Police named deepfakes as a focus. A Ministry of Justice researcher called voice cloning one of the fastest-growing fraud tools in the UAE. The police have not published case numbers yet, so we list it last.[34][35][36]
Reported in: Sharjah, Dubai and nationwide
How it works
You get a call, voice note or video call that sounds or looks like a relative, a manager or an official, asking for an urgent transfer or a code. The voice or face is generated from clips posted online.
Red flags
- An urgent money request from a familiar voice on a new number
- A video call that is short, blurry or avoids normal conversation
- A request to keep it secret
How to protect yourself
- Call the person back on the number you already have
- Agree a family code word for emergencies
- Limit public videos and voice clips of yourself and your children
If it happened to you
- Call your bank to stop the transfer
- Report the number and the recording to the police
Where to report: Sharjah: 06 594 3228. Dubai: eCrime or 901. Abu Dhabi: Aman 8002626.
City by city
Dubai
Dubai Police says fraud and cybercrime fell in the first half of 2026 compared with 2025, without giving counts, and it shut 103 scam social media accounts in the second quarter of 2026. Its Anti-Fraud Centre runs the "Be Aware of Fraud" campaign and works with banks to freeze money when victims report quickly. Based on the cases and warnings it published from 2025 to 2026, these are the scams Dubai residents meet most:[37][43][1][7][15][18][22]
- Fake bank, police and government callers, UAE PASS misuse and remote-access apps
- Fake fine, toll and parking texts (29 of 35 reports in the Dh4 toll case came from Dubai)
- Fake jobs and visa offers using real company names
- Investment and trading scams promising up to 10% a month
- Fake chalets, rentals and summer travel deals
- Fake gold, jewellery and insurance ads
- Romance fraud, forged-cheque car purchases and fake QR codes on parking signs
Where to report: eCrime platform (ecrime.ae), the Dubai Police app, 901 (non-emergency), 999 (emergency) or any police station. Visa and residency scams: GDRFA website or the Dubai Now app.
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi Police received 15,642 online fraud cases in the two years to October 2025 and returned Dh140 million to victims. Its yearly "Be Careful" campaign names phone scams, fake links, remote-access apps, deposits for premium numbers or vehicles, fake jobs, friend requests from strangers, misleading ads, property fraud and investment scams. It singles out young people, workers and domestic workers as frequent targets, and warns that scams rise around salary day.[23][17][12][11][26][10]
- Phone scams by fake officials asking for bank details or remote access
- Fake links: Dh3 parcel fees and fake Darb toll texts
- Fake discounted gold and fake "customs-seized" cars and special plates
- Rental and chalet deposits, sometimes followed by misuse of the victim’s Emirates ID
- Fake jobs, labour supply and domestic worker offers, fake insurance and fake event tickets
- Fake QR codes on parking meters and payment devices
Where to report: Aman service 8002626, SMS 2828 or aman@adpolice.gov.ae, the Abu Dhabi Police app, or any police station. To open a criminal case, file a formal report.
Sharjah
Sharjah Police said cybercrime fell in the first quarter of 2025 but that fake job offers and deceptive ads topped the reports it did receive. Its "Be Aware: Stop, Think, Protect" campaign, relaunched in November 2025 in Arabic, English and Urdu, says police close around 30 suspicious online accounts a day and that many networks run from abroad with local helpers withdrawing the money.[14][6][4][13][24][34]
- Fake job offers and deceptive ads
- Calls to obtain OTPs and bank details; fake officials with remote-access apps
- Online blackmail, often starting with a marriage promise
- Fake shipment and customs fees combined with romance fraud
- Fake holiday chalets and apartments
- Deepfake video and voice calls
- Children in online game chats asked for photos of a parent’s bank card in exchange for game rewards
Where to report: Haris service on the Sharjah Police website, phone 06 594 3228 or 06 594 3446, WhatsApp 055 999 2158, 901 (non-emergency) or 999 (emergency).
Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah
The same scams reach the northern emirates. The Dh4 toll text network was run from a flat in Ajman, Umm Al Quwain Police warned about fake chalet, farm and rest house rentals in August 2026, and Ras Al Khaimah Police warned about fake toll texts in February 2026. Since July 2025 anyone in the UAE can report cybercrime through the Ministry of Interior platform in the MOI app, which passes reports to the Public Prosecution.[7][42][9][39]
Where to report: The MOI app or website, the local police station, or 999 in an emergency.
Where to report a scam in the UAE
Official channels as named by the police and authorities in their 2025 and 2026 warnings. In an emergency, call 999.
| Where | Channel | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Dubai | eCrime platform, the Dubai Police app, 901 or a police station | Dubai Police |
| Abu Dhabi | Aman 8002626, SMS 2828, aman@adpolice.gov.ae or a police station | Abu Dhabi Police |
| Sharjah | Haris service, 06 594 3228, 06 594 3446 or WhatsApp 055 999 2158 | Sharjah Police |
| Any emirate | Cybercrime platform in the MOI app or on moi.gov.ae | Ministry of Interior |
| Money sent or card used | Your bank’s fraud line at once, then the police | Central Bank of the UAE |
| Spam calls and texts | SMS the number to 2211; text DNCR to 2211 to join the Do Not Call Registry | TDRA |
| Unlicensed investment firm | Check and report to the SCA, VARA, the DFSA or the FSRA | UAE regulators |
| Fake job, recruiter or unpaid wages | MOHRE app or website, or the Labour Claims and Advisory Centre on toll-free 80084 | MOHRE |
The Aman line takes security information. If you want a criminal case opened, also file a formal report.
Five habits that stop most of these scams
Almost every scam above needs one of five things from you: a code, a click, an app, a transfer or your ID. The UAE Cybersecurity Council lists the texts it sees most, such as "you have won", "you have a refund" and "verify your bank account", and its advice is to think before you click.
- Never share an OTP, CVV, PIN or WhatsApp verification code with anyone, including someone who says they are from your bank, the police or WhatsApp
- Never install an app because a caller asked you to
- Pay fines, tolls and bills only inside the official app
- Never pay a deposit before you have seen the item, the property or a licence
- Never lend your Emirates ID or open a bank account for someone else, because scam networks use other people’s accounts to move money
If you have been scammed: the first hour
Abu Dhabi Police says most of the money it could not recover was lost because victims reported late, and Dubai Police says fast reports let banks freeze funds before they leave the country. The Central Bank’s consumer protection rules also require banks to compensate customers for losses from financial crime unless the bank shows the customer acted with gross negligence or fraud, so report even if you think it was your fault.
- Call your bank’s fraud line and ask it to block cards and recall the transfer
- Report to the police in your emirate or through the MOI app
- Keep screenshots, phone numbers, account numbers, links and receipts
- If the bank does not resolve your complaint, escalate it to the Central Bank’s Sanadak service
- Ignore anyone who offers to recover your money for a fee: that is a second scam