Dubai Police sound alarm over online marriage sites

Dubai: The police have warned the public against falling for marriage advertisement on the internet, after some women fell victims to gangs that wanted to employ them in prostitution.

A message published on Dubai Police Headquarters' Twitter account on Wednesday warned against falling prey to bogus marriage and job advertisements.

Major Saeed Al Hajiri, Director of the Criminal Investigation Department's electronic crime section, said the warning was general and not related to any recent incidents.

"Some women are desperate to get married and settle down and criminals can take advantage of that by placing matrimonial advertisements and attracting such women, only to hold them and force them to work in prostitution," he said.

"We warn women against responding to such advertisement because meeting a person online is not like meeting them face-to-face and getting to know them in person," he said.

Fake advertisements

Lieutenant Colonel Ahmad Humaid Al Merri, Director of CID's Criminal Investigation Section, said in some cases a woman is lured by a fake marriage proposal only to find herself a victim of financial fraud.

"Some men publish these fake advertisements with false details and an attractive picture to make women believe that they are single and looking for a wife. Then they start communicating with these women over the e-mail and the phone," he said.

Soon after, the man claims that his passport has been held because of a bounced cheque problem and that he would only marry woman once the problem is solved. This may prompt the woman to part with money to help him out.

Disappearing act

After receiving the money, the man disappears, and the woman ends up filing a complaint about a man who she knows very little about, especially since these fraudsters usually provide false information, according to Lt Col Al Merri.

Although such incidents are not common practice in the UAE, it is best to warn people to let them know what they would be getting into if they respond to these matrimonial advertisements, he said.