Immediate Steps After Fraud in the UAE
Discovering that you may have been the victim of fraud can be frightening and confusing. Whether you transferred money to a scammer, disclosed banking information, responded to a fraudulent employment offer or discovered transactions you did not authorise, acting quickly may help prevent additional losses.
If money, bank cards or account credentials are involved, contact your bank or payment provider immediately. Ask whether affected accounts or cards can be frozen and whether a transfer recall, payment reversal or chargeback may be available. You should also secure compromised accounts, preserve all available evidence and report the incident to the appropriate police authority in the emirate where the fraud occurred.
Do not send additional money, even if the fraudster claims another payment is required to release your funds, cancel a legal case or process a refund. Be cautious of anyone who offers to recover stolen money in exchange for an advance payment, as fraud victims are frequently targeted again through recovery scams.
Common Types of Fraud in the UAE
Fraud in the United Arab Emirates can include phishing messages, scam telephone calls, fake government notifications, online shopping fraud, investment schemes, cryptocurrency scams, romance fraud, account takeovers, invoice-redirection fraud and fraudulent employment or visa offers.
Criminals may impersonate banks, police departments, immigration authorities, delivery companies, employers or other trusted organisations. They can create realistic websites, emails, invoices, employment letters and government-style documents to make their requests appear genuine.
A document displaying a familiar logo or official-looking letterhead should not automatically be trusted. Learning about company letterhead security and the risks of forged documents can help individuals and businesses understand why appearance alone is not proof of authenticity.
Verify Unexpected Business Documents
Before sending money, providing an Emirates ID copy, disclosing an OTP or following instructions in an unexpected document, contact the organisation independently. Use contact information obtained from its verified website or mobile application instead of relying on details supplied in the suspicious communication.
Modern document-authentication and verification methods can give recipients a safer way to confirm who issued a document and whether its contents are authentic.
Businesses can reduce the risk of their names, logos and letterheads being misused by adopting anti-fraud solutions for secure business communication. Compared with uncontrolled paper stationery or ordinary PDF templates, secure online letterhead can provide stronger document control and a practical way for recipients to verify important correspondence.
How This UAE Fraud Help Guide Can Assist
This guide explains the immediate steps fraud victims in the United Arab Emirates should take. It covers contacting your bank, reporting fraud to the police, filing a cybercrime report, securing UAE Pass and other online accounts, replacing a compromised Emirates ID and reviewing your Etihad Credit Bureau report.
It also provides contact information for Sanadak, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security and other official UAE organisations.
1. Stop Further Losses
1. Stop communicating with the suspected fraudster. Do not send additional money or provide more personal information.
2. If a crime is happening now, someone is in immediate danger or urgent police assistance is required, call 999 from anywhere in the UAE.
3. Contact your bank, card issuer, exchange or payment provider immediately using the number published on its official website or printed on your card.
4. Ask the provider to freeze affected cards or accounts, block pending transactions and attempt a transfer recall, chargeback or payment reversal where available.
5. Change the passwords for compromised email, banking, UAE Pass, social-media and shopping accounts. Enable multi-factor authentication.
6. Never disclose an OTP, PIN, card security code, UAE Pass approval request or banking password to anyone who contacts you unexpectedly.
7. Preserve emails, messages, telephone numbers, payment receipts, bank records, website addresses, advertisements, documents, cryptocurrency addresses and screenshots.
8. Report the incident through the appropriate police channel for the emirate where the fraud occurred.
9. Report the fraudulent profile, advertisement, telephone number or website to the platform where it appeared.
2. Contact Your Bank or Payment Provider
Contact your bank, card issuer, exchange or payment provider immediately using a telephone number obtained through its official website, mobile application or the back of your card.
Ask the provider to:
• Freeze affected cards and accounts
• Block pending or recurring transactions
• Attempt to recall a bank transfer
• Investigate unauthorised transactions
• Explain whether a chargeback or payment reversal is available
• Remove unknown beneficiaries and registered devices
• Replace compromised cards and online-banking credentials
• Place additional monitoring on the account
• Provide a fraud case or complaint reference number
• Confirm the complaint and its outcome in writing
If the transaction involved a cryptocurrency exchange, money-transfer service, online marketplace or digital wallet, contact that provider immediately as well.
Reporting fraud does not guarantee reimbursement. Eligibility may depend on the transaction type, how the payment was authorised, when the incident was reported and the evidence available.
If you disagree with your financial institution’s response, submit a formal complaint directly to that institution.
If 15 calendar days have passed and you have not received a written response, or you received a response but remain dissatisfied, you may be eligible to complain to Sanadak.
Sanadak complaint portal:
https://www.sanadak.gov.ae/en/make-a-complaint/
Telephone:
800 SANADAK
800 72 623 25
3. Report the Fraud to Police
If the crime is happening now, someone is in immediate danger or urgent police assistance is required, call 999.
For a non-emergency fraud report, contact the police authority responsible for the emirate where the incident occurred. You can visit the nearest police station or use an official police application or online reporting service where available.
Dubai:
Use the Dubai Police website, Dubai Police application or eCrime service. Dubai Police can also be contacted on 901 for non-emergency enquiries.
https://www.dubaipolice.gov.ae/app/
Abu Dhabi:
A formal criminal report can be initiated through the Ministry of Interior application or the appropriate Abu Dhabi Police channel. Abu Dhabi Police’s Aman service can receive confidential security information.
Abu Dhabi Police call centre: 800 3333
Aman: 800 2626
Aman SMS: 2828
Aman email: [email protected]
Sharjah:
Contact Sharjah Police through its official channels. Najeed can be contacted through 901 for security information and non-emergency assistance.
Other emirates:
Use the Ministry of Interior UAE application or visit the nearest police station.
When reporting, provide:
• Your full name and contact information
• Emirates ID or passport information when requested through an official channel
• The date and time of the incident
• The amount lost and method of payment
• Bank, card and transaction references
• Names, usernames and telephone numbers used by the suspected fraudster
• Email addresses and complete email headers
• Website and social-media addresses
• Cryptocurrency wallet addresses and transaction IDs
• Copies of messages, invoices, job offers, receipts and other documents
• A clear timeline explaining what happened
• The fraud reference number provided by your bank
Ask for the police case or reference number and keep it with your records.
4. Report Cybercrime and Online Fraud
Cyber-enabled fraud, phishing, account hacking, online blackmail and other cybercrimes can be reported through the following official channels:
• Ministry of Interior UAE mobile application – use the eCrimes reporting service
• Dubai Police eCrime service for incidents within Dubai
• Abu Dhabi Police and the Aman service
• My Safe Society application from the UAE Public Prosecution
• The nearest police station
Dubai Police eCrime:
https://www.dubaipolice.gov.ae/app/
Abu Dhabi Police Aman:
Telephone: 800 2626
SMS: 2828
Email: [email protected]
Before reporting:
1. Preserve screenshots, messages, email headers, payment records, website addresses and account information.
2. Do not delete suspicious messages until the evidence has been saved.
3. Change passwords from a clean and trusted device.
4. Sign out of other active sessions and remove unknown recovery addresses, devices and connected applications.
5. Contact your mobile provider if you suspect an unauthorised SIM replacement or telephone-number transfer.
6. Contact your bank immediately if banking or card information may have been exposed.
7. Report the fraudulent account, advertisement or website to the platform where it appeared.
8. Obtain and retain the police report or reference number.
5. Protect Your Identity
If your Emirates ID, passport information, UAE Pass account, telephone number or other personal information was exposed:
1. Secure your primary email account first because it may be used to reset other accounts.
2. Change affected passwords and do not reuse the same password on multiple services.
3. Enable multi-factor authentication wherever available.
4. Review email forwarding rules, recovery addresses, connected applications and active login sessions.
5. Contact your banks and payment providers and tell them your identity information may have been compromised.
6. Contact your mobile provider if you suspect SIM swapping or an unauthorised telephone-number transfer.
7. If you receive an unexpected UAE Pass approval request, reject it. Contact UAE Pass support and secure your account.
8. If your Emirates ID was lost or stolen, report the incident and apply for a replacement through the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security.
9. Review your Etihad Credit Bureau report for loans, cards, telecommunications accounts or financial obligations you do not recognise.
10. Contact the relevant bank, lender, telecommunications provider or information provider immediately if unfamiliar information appears.
11. Report impersonation profiles to the relevant social-media platform.
12. Preserve evidence and include identity misuse in your police report.
UAE Pass support:
600 56 1111
[email protected]
https://uaepass.ae/support
ICP Emirates ID replacement:
https://icp.gov.ae/en/services-details/?serviceid=64afe3c1035448005bd52e5b
ICP call centre:
600 522222
6. Protect Your Credit
The UAE’s official credit-reporting organisation is Etihad Credit Bureau.
Individuals can obtain a credit report through the Etihad Credit Bureau website or mobile application using UAE Pass.
Individual credit report:
https://etihadbureau.ae/en/Individual/CreditReport
Customer service:
800 BUREAU
800 287328
Other enquiries:
+971 2 697 7777
Review your report for loans, cards, payment obligations, telephone accounts or other information you do not recognise.
If information is inaccurate or may have resulted from identity fraud, contact the bank, lender or other information provider immediately. You can also submit a data-correction request:
https://support.etihadbureau.ae/correction
The UAE does not currently provide the same consumer credit-freeze system available in some other countries. Notify financial institutions directly, monitor your accounts and periodically review your Etihad Credit Bureau report.
7. Consumer-Protection Resources
Ministry of Economy and Tourism – Consumer Protection
The Ministry provides information and complaint services for disputes involving goods, services and registered UAE suppliers.
Consumer complaint service:
https://www.moec.gov.ae/en/consumer-complaints
Consumer protection information:
https://www.moec.gov.ae/consumer-protection1
Telephone:
800 1222
Email:
Keep invoices, contracts, advertisements, payment records and correspondence with the merchant.
Try to resolve the issue directly with the merchant first. If the issue remains unresolved, submit a consumer complaint through the Ministry or the appropriate local economic department.
Consumer-protection complaints are not a substitute for a police report when deception, identity theft, forgery or criminal fraud is suspected.
Financial or insurance complaints against entities licensed by the Central Bank of the UAE should be directed to Sanadak:
8. Employment and Immigration Fraud
Treat unsolicited UAE employment and immigration offers with caution, particularly when someone:
• Guarantees a job, work permit, residence visa or immigration approval
• Requests recruitment or employment fees from the worker
• Requests payment through cryptocurrency, gift cards or a personal bank account
• Uses a free or unrelated email address
• Conducts no genuine interview
• Offers unusually high pay or benefits
• Pressures you to make an immediate payment
• Sends a job offer without a verifiable MOHRE transaction number or barcode
• Refuses to let you contact the employer independently
• Claims a tourist or visit visa is an employment permit
• Requests an Emirates ID, passport copy, bank information or OTP before the employer has been verified
A legitimate mainland private-sector job offer should normally use the official Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation format.
Verify a job offer:
https://receipts.mohre.gov.ae/OfferInquiry/Index?langid=2
MOHRE inquiry services:
MOHRE call centre:
600 590000
MOHRE complaint service:
https://www.mohre.gov.ae/en/services/add-complaint
Under UAE rules, recruitment and employment costs must generally be paid by the employer. Job seekers should not be charged recruitment fees.
Verify entry permits, residence information and Emirates ID services through the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security:
ICP Smart Services:
https://smartservices.icp.gov.ae/
ICP call centre inside the UAE:
600 522222
For Dubai-issued immigration matters, contact the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs:
Amer service:
800 5111
If you paid money, supplied identity documents or received a fraudulent job offer, contact your bank and report the incident to the appropriate UAE police authority.
Official Contacts and Telephone Numbers
Police emergency
999
UAE Government – Reporting economic crimes
https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/business/important-digital-services/reporting-economic-crimes
UAE Government – Reporting cybercrime
https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/justice-safety-and-the-law/cyber-safety-and-digital-security
Dubai Police
Non-emergency: 901
https://www.dubaipolice.gov.ae/app/
Abu Dhabi Police
Call centre: 800 3333
https://www.adpolice.gov.ae/
Abu Dhabi Police Aman
Telephone: 800 2626
SMS: 2828
Email: [email protected]
Sharjah Police
Non-emergency and Najeed: 901
https://www.shjpolice.gov.ae/
Sanadak
800 72 623 25
https://www.sanadak.gov.ae/
Central Bank of the UAE
+971 2 691 5555
https://centralbank.ae/
Ministry of Economy and Tourism – Consumer Protection
800 1222
[email protected]
https://www.moec.gov.ae/en/consumer-complaints
Etihad Credit Bureau
800 287328
https://etihadbureau.ae/
UAE Pass Support
600 56 1111
[email protected]
https://uaepass.ae/support
Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security
600 522222
[email protected]
https://icp.gov.ae/
Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation
600 590000
https://www.mohre.gov.ae/
GDRFA Dubai – Amer
800 5111
[email protected]
https://www.gdrfad.gov.ae/
Report the Fraud
The local police authority for the emirate where the fraud occurred
Received a suspicious business document?
Check whether a document issued through VerifiableLetter is authentic.
Important: This guide provides general information for fraud victims in the United Arab Emirates. It is not legal, financial or cybersecurity advice and does not guarantee the recovery of money. Reporting channels, contact details, fees and eligibility requirements can change. Always verify instructions through the organisation’s official website or application before providing personal information.