WhatsApp message helps recover Dh500,000 seized by fraudulent investor

The court based its ruling on messages exchanged between the claimant and the defendant

Last updated:
Abdulla Rasheed, Editor - Abu Dhabi
2 MIN READ
WhatsApp message helps recover Dh500,000 seized by fraudulent investor
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The Abu Dhabi Court for Family, Civil and Administrative Claims has ordered an investor to pay a trader Dh500,000, which he had taken under the pretense of investing and returning with profits, but later evaded repayment.

The court based its ruling on messages exchanged between the claimant and the defendant via the WhatsApp application.

The trader had filed a lawsuit demanding Dh500,000 plus legal interest at 12%, along with court fees, expenses, and attorney’s fees. He argued that the defendant deceived him with a false investment scheme, requesting funds under the promise of repayment with profit, but failed to return the money without justification. The claimant supported his case with copies of WhatsApp messages exchanged between the two parties. The defendant, however, did not appear before the court despite being duly notified.

The court clarified that, under the provisions of the Electronic Transactions Law, “an electronic document does not lose its legal validity or enforceability merely because it is in electronic form, nor do the data contained therein lose their legal validity as long as the details can be accessed.” In its reasoning, the court noted that the submitted records confirmed the defendant’s acknowledgment of the sums in question and that he had not denied the debt, nor repaid it.

Furthermore, the court pointed out that the defendant failed to attend the hearings or submit any evidence or arguments to dispute the claimant’s assertions or prove his release from liability. Therefore, the court deemed him legally bound to settle the debt. Accordingly, it ruled that the defendant must pay the claimant Dh500,000, in addition to court fees and expenses, while rejecting all other claims.

Abdulla Rasheed
Abdulla RasheedEditor - Abu Dhabi
Abdullah Rashid Al Hammadi  is an accomplished Emirati journalist with over 45 years of experience in both Arabic and English media. He currently serves as the Abu Dhabi Bureau Chief fo Gulf News. Al Hammadi began his career in 1980 with Al Ittihad newspaper, where he rose through the ranks to hold key editorial positions, including Head of International News, Director of the Research Center, and Acting Managing Editor. A founding member of the UAE Journalists Association and a former board member, he is also affiliated with the General Federation of Arab Journalists and the International Federation of Journalists. Al Hammadi studied Information Systems Technology at the University of Virginia and completed journalism training with Reuters in Cairo and London. During his time in Washington, D.C., he reported for Alittihad  and became a member of the National Press Club. From 2000 to 2008, he wrote the widely read Dababees column, known for its critical take on social issues. Throughout his career, Al Hammadi has conducted high-profile interviews with prominent leaders including UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and key Arab figures such as the late Yasser Arafat and former presidents of Yemen and Egypt. He has reported on major historical events such as the Iran-Iraq war, the liberation of Kuwait, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the establishment of the Palestinian Authority. His work continues to shape and influence journalism in the UAE and the wider Arab world.

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