Vehicle scam busted: Dubai Police shut down cross-border fraud operation

Dubai: A major online vehicle scam has been uncovered by Dubai Police, who have arrested members of a fraud ring accused of using forged cheques to purchase cars before swiftly exporting them overseas.

According to police, the suspects posed as legitimate buyers on a popular online sales platform, targeting owners of high-value vehicles. One member of the group would negotiate with the seller, while another, posing as a representative of a reputable company, would finalise the deal and hand over a counterfeit cheque.

Once the ownership was transferred, the vehicles were immediately shipped abroad using documents registered in the names of fraudulently obtained owners. The elaborate scheme allowed the gang to move stolen vehicles out of the country within hours of purchase.

Multiple fraud reports

Dubai Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) launched an investigation after receiving multiple reports of similar incidents. Their Anti-Fraud Centre soon discovered that the network operated both within the UAE and internationally.

The scammers often arranged for final transactions to take place late at night at vehicle registration centres, exploiting the late hour to pressure sellers and give the impression of legitimacy. They also used copies of the new registration documents and the supposed new owner’s passport to facilitate the rapid export of the vehicles.

Victims typically realised they had been scammed only when they attempted to deposit the payment cheques and were informed by banks that the documents were forged.

Extra caution

Police have urged residents to exercise extra caution when selling vehicles. Dubai Police recommend verifying cheque authenticity with banks before completing any transaction and strongly advise accepting full payment in cash before transferring ownership.

The public is encouraged to report any suspected fraud cases in person at police stations or through the Dubai Police eCrime portal at www.ecrime.ae, or via the Dubai Police smart app.