Sharjah Police warn against fake holiday booking scams

Sharjah: Sharjah Police have warned residents against fraudulent bookings for holiday chalets, apartments and tourist facilities, saying scammers are exploiting peak travel periods by posting fake online advertisements featuring attractive properties at unusually low prices to pressure victims into making immediate deposit payments.

Police urged the public to verify the credibility of advertisers and deal only with licensed businesses that provide official contracts and authorised receipts before transferring any money, warning that hasty payments could result in financial losses that are difficult to recover.

According to the force, fraudsters often claim bookings are filling up quickly to create a false sense of urgency, requesting advance payments via bank transfers or electronic payment methods.

After receiving the money, they typically cut off all communication, leaving victims to discover that the advertised property does not exist or that the photographs were copied from legitimate listings.