Dubai Police have apprehended 13 individuals from three criminal gangs involved in a series of phone scams targeting residents and citizens, the authorities confirmed on Thursday.
The scammers, all of Asian nationality, had been posing as officials from banks and government agencies, convincing their victims to share sensitive banking information, including the three-digit CVV on their cards and one-time passwords (OTP). This fraudulent operation exploited people’s trust in official entities.
“The gang members impersonated officials from agencies like the police and banks, contacting citizens and residents under the pretense of needing to update their banking information, pay traffic fines, or resolve residency issues,” Dubai Police revealed in a statement.
The police also disclosed blurred images of the arrested suspects and the electronic devices they used to orchestrate the scams.
“These arrests are part of our ongoing efforts to combat cyber fraud and protect the community from falling victim to such scams through continuous awareness campaigns,” the Dubai Police added.
Authorities reminded the public that legitimate banks would never request sensitive personal or financial information via text messages, emails, or phone calls. Residents were urged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious communications through the “eCrime” platform on www.ecrime.ae or the Dubai Police app.