Dubai court jails three men, fines them Dh518,500 in cybercrime case

Three men have been jailed for two months and fined a combined Dh518,500 by a Dubai court after being convicted of handling funds obtained through cyber fraud.

The Dubai Misdemeanours Court also ordered their deportation after serving their sentences.

Court records show the fines reflect the amounts each defendant received from the illegal proceeds. The first defendant was fined Dh346,000, the second Dh72,500, and the third Dh100,000.

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The case dates back to January 2026, when a resident fell victim to an online scam after clicking on a fake link he believed was connected to a consumer protection service.

He was redirected to a WhatsApp conversation with a person posing as an official, who asked him to provide his bank card details and verification code under the pretext of processing a complaint and completing payment procedures.

According to case files, the victim initially made a small transaction before discovering that large sums had been withdrawn from his accounts within a short period, totalling about Dh660,000. He later reported the incident to authorities.

Financial investigations revealed that part of the stolen money was transferred to local bank accounts linked to the defendants, while other amounts were moved through multiple accounts in an apparent attempt to obscure the trail.

Recruited through fake job ads on social media

Investigators found that the three men had been recruited through fake job advertisements circulated on social media. An unidentified individual had offered them commissions in exchange for allowing their bank accounts to be used to receive and transfer funds.

The defendants admitted receiving the money in instalments and forwarding it to other accounts, while keeping a portion for themselves.

The court said the evidence — including the victim’s testimony, banking records and the defendants’ confessions — proved their involvement in possessing funds derived from a crime. It added that handling large transfers without clear justification, along with the rapid movement of funds, supported the conclusion of criminal intent.

Authorities have repeatedly warned residents against interacting with unknown links or sharing banking details with unverified sources. Officials stressed that legitimate government entities do not request sensitive financial information through messaging platforms, urging the public to verify links and report suspicious activity immediately.

The case highlights a growing trend of fraudsters exploiting fake service links and social media recruitment tactics to move illicit funds through unsuspecting account holders.