Dubai gang lures man with fake massage offer on WhatsApp using a woman’s picture

Dubai: A gang robbed Dh40,500 from a Dubai-based manager after he was lured into a fake massage parlour, the Dubai Court of First Instance heard on Tuesday.

According to records, the 40-year-old Pakistani victim received a WhatsApp message about massage sessions, with a picture of a Russian woman and an address. When he went to the location in the Naif area of Dubai in November 2020, a 27-year-old Nigerian woman pulled him inside an apartment. “There were three men and three women who attacked me. They threatened to beat me and stole my wallet. They scratched my chest when I refused to share my credit card passcode with them,” the victim said on record. The gang eventually withdrew Dh40,000 from the victim’s account after he was forced to share his credit card passcode.

They kept him confined for six hours inside the apartment, before allowing him to leave but only after snatching another Dh500 in cash from his wallet. Thereafter, he reported the incident to Dubai Police.

A 37-year-old Emirati policeman testified that the woman was arrested when they raided the apartment. “She was part of a gang that used to lure victims to come to the apartment, before stealing their money. They stole the victim’s money after obtaining his credit cards,” said the Emirati policeman.

Dubai Public Prosecution has charged the defendant with robbery and for wrongfully keeping the victim locked up inside the apartment. The next hearing has been scheduled for February 23.