Picture for illustrative purposes only. ARCHIVE

Dubai police have arrested members of a criminal gang that defrauded multiple car sellers by posing as buyers and issuing forged cheques, with the stolen vehicles quickly exported abroad. The scam, uncovered by the Criminal Investigation Department’s Anti-Fraud Centre, involved suspects contacting sellers through a popular classified website. One member would pose as the buyer, while another impersonated a company agent to finalize the transfer and issue a fake cheque. Once the ownership was transferred, the criminals would immediately export the vehicle using copies of the newly issued registration documents and fake identification, often executing the plan late at night to create a false sense of urgency and legitimacy. “The victims only realized they had been scammed when they attempted to encash the cheque and found it to be fraudulent,” police said. Authorities noted that the gang targeted high-value vehicles and built trust by claiming to represent reputable companies. Dubai Police urged residents to exercise caution when selling vehicles. “Always verify the cheque’s authenticity with your bank and avoid handing over your car until you’ve received cleared payment,” the police advised. Residents can report similar fraud cases via the Dubai Police eCrime platform ecrime.ae or the Dubai Police smart app. ICA/Expat Media
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