Dubai man loses Dh800,000 bank loan cash in fake banking app scam

Dubai: A man who had just secured a Dh800,000 bank loan lost the entire amount after fraudsters tricked him into downloading a fake banking application and granting them remote access to his mobile phone, prompting Dubai Police to renew warnings against sharing personal or banking information with strangers.

The General Department of Criminal Investigation at Dubai Police said the case serves as a strong reminder of how seemingly harmless information shared during unsolicited phone calls can be exploited by organised fraud networks.

The warning was issued during an episode of a Dubai Police podcast featuring Major Saud Abdulrahman Al Khazraji from the General Department of Criminal Investigation, who outlined some of the most common fraud tactics used by scammers, methods of prevention and official reporting channels.

According to Major Al Khazraji, the victim initially received a phone call from a fraudster posing as a bank employee who offered him financing facilities, loans and credit cards.

Although the victim declined the offers, saying he did not require any of the services, he unintentionally revealed an important detail during the conversation — that he had recently obtained a loan and therefore had no need for additional banking products.

That single piece of information became the key that enabled the fraudsters to launch a more sophisticated scam.

Fake bank identity update

Major Al Khazraji explained that the caller shared the information with other members of the criminal group, who later contacted the victim again claiming that the bank had launched a new application and undergone a corporate identity change.

The fraudsters told the victim that his banking information needed to be updated through the new application and instructed him to transfer the funds in his account to the account linked to the supposedly updated banking platform.

To increase pressure, they warned him that failure to comply would result in his bank account being frozen and his financial transactions being disrupted.

Faced with repeated pressure and threats, the victim eventually downloaded the application and granted the callers remote access to his smartphone.

The fraudsters then gained access to his personal information and banking data and carried out the transfer of funds themselves.

Money moved through multiple accounts

Major Al Khazraji said the criminals managed to steal a large sum of money that the victim had recently received through the bank loan.

To conceal the crime, the funds were subsequently transferred and distributed across multiple bank accounts, making it more difficult for authorities to trace and recover the stolen money.

He said the incident demonstrates the dangers of sharing personal, financial or banking information with unknown individuals, regardless of how convincing their claims may appear.

Key warning

Dubai Police stressed that members of the public should never download applications that allow remote access to their smartphones or smart devices at the request of unknown callers.

Authorities also urged residents not to disclose bank account details, card information, loan details or information relating to financial facilities to anyone claiming to represent a bank or financial institution.

Major Al Khazraji advised the public to contact their bank directly or reach out to the relevant official authority to verify any claims related to banking services, account updates or financial transactions.

He also warned against yielding to the pressure tactics and threats commonly employed by fraudsters to force victims into making rushed decisions.

How to report fraud

Dubai Police urged anyone who encounters suspicious activity or becomes a victim of cyber fraud to immediately file a report through the e-Crime platform or contact the force by calling 901.

The full episode of the Dubai Police Podcast, presented by Mohammed Ibrahim, is available on Dubai Police's YouTube channel and discusses major fraud schemes, preventive measures and official reporting channels.