Dubai Police Arrest Two Suspects Over Dh11.8 Million Phone Scam Ring

Two individuals have been taken into custody in Dubai following an extensive investigation into sophisticated phone scams that defrauded victims of more than Dh11.8 million ($3.2 million). The arrests were executed by Dubai Police's Anti-Fraud Centre after authorities uncovered a criminal operation where the suspects posed as representatives of official and international organisations to deceive residents.

According to police reports, the scammers targeted victims via telephone, falsely claiming they were implicated in foreign legal proceedings. By leveraging intimidation tactics and warning of severe legal repercussions, the fraudsters coerced individuals into transferring funds to overseas bank accounts under the guise of verifying the legitimacy of their finances, with false promises that the money would later be returned.

Investigators revealed that the pressure tactics escalated to the point where some victims were instructed to liquidate their gold jewellery to make additional monetary transfers. Furthermore, the perpetrators manipulated residents into isolating themselves by booking hotel rooms and cutting off communication with family and friends, a strategy designed to tighten psychological control over the victims.

In response to the complaints, Dubai Police established a dedicated task force through the Anti-Fraud Centre to scrutinize data and track the illicit financial flows. This analytical work led directly to the identification and apprehension of the two suspects, who subsequently confessed to their crimes during questioning.

The detainees admitted they were recruited via social media by an overseas criminal network, receiving victim details and operational directives through a messaging application. Seized mobile phones analyzed by technical experts revealed extensive records of victim data and fraudulent communications.

Following the arrests, Dubai Police issued a public warning urging residents to remain vigilant against suspicious calls and messages from individuals claiming to represent government or official entities. Authorities reminded the public to independently verify communications through official channels and encouraged reporting any suspicious activities via the eCrime platform or by calling the 901 call centre.