The Dubai Misdemeanours Court has sentenced an Asian man to jail after finding him guilty of possessing Dh2,000 obtained through an online rental scam.
The case dates back to March, when a victim, also of Asian nationality, reported being scammed after responding to a Facebook ad for an apartment supposedly available for rent. The victim transferred Dh2,000 as a reservation deposit.
According to the complaint, the defendant met the victim in person and showed him an apartment in Dubai’s Al Satwa area. Shortly after, he switched off his phone and blocked the victim on WhatsApp and Facebook, prompting the victim to realize he had been deceived.
Investigators confirmed that the listing was fraudulent and created solely to trick prospective tenants. A Dubai police officer testified that a criminal investigations team traced the bank transfer, leading to the suspect’s arrest.
The investigation revealed that the man had been using a fake online profile to lure prospective tenants, sharing photos of luxury apartments at attractive prices to exploit residents searching for affordable housing.
The court convicted the suspect of possessing proceeds from electronic fraud and handed down a custodial sentence.
