The key facts
- Dubai Police arrested six suspects in fraud involving a fake online shopping website
- Victim SN reported deductions from her account that wiped out several years of savings
- Police recommended verifying website authenticity and reporting suspicious transactions via 901, Police Eye or eCrime
Gang Arrest
Dubai Police arrested six suspects in a bank fraud case in which a fake online shopping website was used to collect bank card details and steal money from victims' accounts. The investigation began after complaints from people who noticed unauthorized deductions. The gang is known as the 'unexpected deductions' gang.
Victim's Account
One of the victims, identified by the initials SN, said she woke up to messages about a large deduction that wiped out savings accumulated over several years. According to her, she was not using her phone and had not made any purchases, while money was leaving her account as she slept. The woman, who works at a private company, turned to the police for help.
Fraudsters' Scheme
The investigation by the General Department of Criminal Investigation showed that the suspects created a fake online store website to obtain victims' card details, then made unauthorized purchases and transferred money to digital wallets. They also opened bank accounts and wallets to move the stolen funds and, according to the investigation, sold some of the compromised card data to other individuals. Digital wallets of a telecommunications company were used to receive the funds.
Seized Items and Recommendations
During a coordinated raid, police seized victims' bank cards, which were suspected of being intended for sale to other fraudsters, as well as chequebooks believed to have been used for illegal activities. Police urged residents to verify the authenticity of websites before entering personal and banking details, not to share card information with untrusted parties, and to report suspicious deductions through the 901 call center, the Police Eye service, or eCrime on the Dubai Police app and website.
