Dubai Police arrest six over fake shopping website scam

Dubai: Dubai Police have arrested six suspects accused of running an online fraud scheme that targeted bank customers through a fake shopping website, stealing card details to make unauthorised purchases and transfer money into digital wallets.

The arrests followed complaints from victims who discovered unexpected deductions from their bank accounts despite not having made or approved the transactions, Dubai Police said.

The suspects, identified as members of a gang dubbed the “Unexpected Deduction” group, allegedly used the stolen card information to carry out fraudulent transactions, open digital wallets and bank accounts to receive the proceeds, and sell some of the compromised card details to other fraudsters.

Among the victims was S.N., a woman employed by a private company, who woke up one morning to text notifications showing large sums had been deducted from her account. The transactions wiped out savings she had accumulated from her salary over several years.

Shocked by the messages, she contacted Dubai Police.

“I wasn’t even using my phone or making any purchases. I was fast asleep while someone unknown was draining money from my account,” she recalled.

The complaints were referred to the General Department of Criminal Investigation at Dubai Police, which formed a specialised team to identify those behind the fraudulent transactions and establish how the money was being moved.

After extensive surveillance and investigative work, officers identified all six suspects and traced them to their residence. A coordinated raid resulted in their arrest.

During the operation, police recovered bank cards belonging to victims that the suspects allegedly intended to resell to other fraudsters. Officers also seized cheque books believed to have been used to facilitate the illegal activities.

Investigations revealed that the gang had created a fake online shopping website to obtain customers’ bank card details. The stolen information was then allegedly used to make unauthorised purchases and transfer funds into digital wallets and bank accounts set up to receive the proceeds.

Some of the compromised card details were also sold to other individuals in exchange for money, allowing further fraudulent deductions and transfers to be carried out.

Dubai Police said the suspects exploited digital wallets provided by a telecommunications company to receive money generated through the scheme, using electronic payment services to facilitate the movement of stolen funds.

Dubai Police urged residents to exercise caution when shopping online and verify the authenticity of websites before entering personal information or bank card details.

The force warned the public against sharing sensitive banking information with untrusted individuals or organisations, stressing that stolen card details can be exploited to make unauthorised payments and access victims’ funds.

Residents were also advised to monitor their bank accounts and report unfamiliar transactions or suspicious activity as soon as they are detected.

Suspicious activity can be reported through the Dubai Police contact centre on 901, the Police Eye service, or the eCrime feature available through the Dubai Police smart app and official website.

Dubai Police reiterated that public awareness of evolving fraud techniques and prompt reporting are essential to helping investigators detect criminal activity, trace those responsible and protect the community from financial fraud and cybercrime.