Indian and Lebanese Governments Issue Urgent Scam Warnings to UAE Residents

Indian and Lebanese residents in the UAE have been urged by their governments to remain on high alert against sophisticated cyber criminals and fraudsters. The Lebanese embassy in the Emirates issued a warning regarding criminals posing as embassy staff who demand personal details to resolve fictitious legal matters over the phone.

Meanwhile, Indian residents in the UAE have been strictly warned against handing over biometric data or personal documents to unauthorized agents offering assistance with visa processes, exit permits, and Emirates IDs. The Indian consulate-general in Dubai reported that scammers are specifically targeting Indian citizens, particularly blue-collar workers, by impersonating legitimate agents.

This surge in warnings follows reports of individuals falsely claiming they can arrange Emergency Certificates, exit permits, outpasses, Emirates IDs, visa regularization, and employment. After obtaining victims' facial and fingerprint scans, these scammers illegally conduct financial transactions, open bank accounts, or secure loans and credit cards in the victims' names without their knowledge or consent. According to the consulate, victims may be held liable and face severe consequences including fines, travel bans, or imprisonment.

The consulate emphasized that biometric scans required for exit permits, Emirates IDs, or visa regularization should be provided exclusively at official UAE government facilities and counters. Indian residents must not provide their passports, Emirates ID details, facial or eye scans, fingerprints, or personal and financial information to individuals, agents, or third-party service providers claiming to be authorized by UAE authorities. The consulate further clarified that neither the Indian consulate general in Dubai nor the Indian embassy in Abu Dhabi requires fingerprints, facial scans, or eye scans from applicants seeking a passport or Emergency Certificate.

“Any individual or agent demanding such biometric data in the name of the embassy is engaging in fraud and should not be entertained,” the consulate stated. Indians approached by an agent requesting biometric information or an Emirates ID should contact the Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayta Kendra helpline to verify credentials or seek assistance. The helpline is available at 800 46342, via WhatsApp or SMS at (054) 309 0571, or by email. The consulate urges everyone living in or visiting the UAE to verify the credentials of anyone offering immigration, documentation, or employment-related services and to report suspicious activity to the Indian mission or relevant UAE authorities.

Regarding fraudulent phone calls, the embassy of Lebanon in the UAE posted a warning on social media regarding scammers posing as officials from the UAE embassy in Lebanon. These callers contact Lebanese residents claiming that a legal matter requires urgent action. “There have been fraudulent phone calls to members of the Lebanese community by individuals impersonating official authorities claiming there is a legal, administrative or official matter,” the embassy stated.

The scammers ask victims to appoint a representative or agent and to pay money to resolve the issue, using genuine or personal information to appear credible, with caller IDs displaying official recognized entities.

Bassam Ahmed, a 50-year-old Lebanese resident in Dubai, shared his experience with The National, stating he received a call from someone claiming to be from the UAE embassy in Lebanon. “He posed as an official from the UAE embassy in Beirut and told me there is a problem that I need to settle,” Mr. Ahmed said. After checking the number, which matched the embassy in Beirut, he reported the incident to Dubai authorities, who confirmed it was a scam. “The scammer called me again and I said police were alerted and he closed the phone,” he added. “Police in the UAE always boost our awareness about phone scams and it's our duty to report such calls and not to communicate more with the scammers.”