Dubai man jailed over Dh2,000 Facebook apartment rental scam

Dubai: The Dubai Misdemeanours Court has sentenced an Asian man to jail after finding him guilty of possessing Dh2,000 obtained through an online rental scam, Al Khaleej newspaper reported.

The case dates back to March, when a victim, also of Asian nationality, reported being conned after responding to an advertisement for an apartment supposedly available for rent. After contacting the poster via Facebook, the man transferred Dh2,000 as a reservation deposit.

According to the complaint, the defendant met the victim in person and showed him an apartment in Dubai’s Al Satwa area. Shortly afterward, he switched off his phone and blocked the victim on WhatsApp and Facebook, prompting the latter to realise he had been duped.

Investigators later confirmed that the listing was fraudulent and created solely for deception. A Dubai police officer testified that a criminal investigations team traced the bank transfer, leading to the suspect’s arrest.

The investigation revealed that the man had been using a fake online profile to lure prospective tenants, sharing photos of luxury apartments at attractive prices and exploiting residents’ search for affordable housing.

The court convicted him of possessing proceeds from electronic fraud and issued a custodial sentence.