An Al Ain court has ordered a man to return Dh129,000 and pay an additional Dh10,000 in compensation after selling two counterfeit luxury watches online while claiming they were authentic.
The ruling was issued by the Al Ain Civil, Commercial and Administrative Court following a lawsuit filed by the buyer, who said he had been misled in what the court described as a clear case of fraud.
According to Al Khaleej, the buyer discovered the watches through a social media advertisement promoting them as high-end luxury items. After communicating with the seller, the two agreed on a price, and the buyer transferred the payment to the seller’s bank account. The deception only became apparent after the watches were delivered and found to be fake.
The buyer initially filed a criminal complaint, which led to the seller’s conviction. He then pursued a civil case to recover his money and seek compensation for the damages caused.
As part of the case, the court appointed a financial expert from the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department to review the transaction. The expert confirmed that the deal was conducted through WhatsApp messages.
The report showed that the first watch was sold for Dh68,000 and fully paid, while the second was priced at Dh81,000, with Dh48,000 transferred via bank payments. The total amount paid reached Dh129,000.
In its judgment, the court said the evidence clearly proved that the watches were counterfeit. It also ruled that the buyer suffered both financial loss and emotional distress as a direct result of the seller’s actions.
The court ordered the seller to refund the full amount and awarded Dh10,000 in moral damages, citing its discretionary authority in assessing compensation.
