Dubai Police arrest two for Dh11.9m phone scam targeting residents

Dubai Police arrested two suspects on Tuesday, 6 October, for orchestrating a phone scam that defrauded residents of Dh11,877,532. The suspects allegedly posed as representatives of international and official entities to intimidate victims into transferring large sums of money. Psychological isolation tactics According to the Dubai Police Anti-Fraud Centre, the suspects contacted victims claiming they were implicated in criminal cases outside the UAE. The fraudsters pressured victims to transfer money to overseas accounts for "verification," promising the funds would be returned once cleared. In several instances, victims were persuaded to sell gold jewellery to cover the demanded amounts. Investigators found that the suspects instructed victims to check into hotel rooms and cut off communication with family and friends. This tactic was designed to isolate the victims and maintain psychological control during the fraud process, according to police statements released on Tuesday, 6 October. Social media recruitment Following their arrest, the suspects admitted they were recruited via social media by an entity operating outside the UAE. They received victim data, communication scripts, and operational instructions through a dedicated mobile application. The two individuals were paid a commission for each successful fraudulent transaction. Police seized mobile phones containing victim data and message logs that corroborated the reported fraud cases. The arrests follow a…