Sharjah: Expat loses Dh47,000 after falling for fake massage ad

An Indian expat lost Dh47,000 after he was lured to an apartment for a massage session, where he was robbed at knifepoint. According to the police, the incident happened on Sunday in the Al Majaz neighborhood of Sharjah. “I turned up at a first-floor apartment in a multi-storied building near Safya Park around 4 pm." He said that he was hoping to meet the same female masseur who had sent him photos on WhatsApp. "Instead, I was attacked by a five-member gang," he recalled. The Sharjah resident claimed that just as he entered the apartment, he was yanked inside and the door slammed shut. “They were two men and three women of African ethnicity, and they had a murderous glare in their eyes. ‘Give me all your money, or else I will kill you,’ threatened their ringleader as he pulled out a big knife and held it to my neck,” he said. “I had only Dh250 with me. I offered to give it to them and save my life, but they mocked me and pushed me onto the bed. As the women laughed wickedly, one of the men pinned me down on the bed while the other removed my trousers. I watched helplessly as he dug into my pockets and took out my cell phone as well as my wallet, which contained Dh250 in cash and four debit and credit cards.” The man claimed that the ringleader had forced him to enter the PIN numbers for each bank card into his mobile. One of the men allegedly left the apartment with his bank cards. The man came back three hours later. The assailants told him to delete all the WhatsApp chats with the masseur and told him that he would be jailed for seeking illegal massages if he complained to the police. The victim was then released at 7 pm. When the victim came home, he discovered that he lost 46,505 from his bank accounts. “I found out that they had withdrawn Dh46,505 from my cards from different locations in multiple transactions. I don’t have any money left. My bank account is zero and my credit limit has been maxed.” He immediately reported the incident to Buheirah Police Station. The authorities raided the apartment but it was found to be empty. The building’s watchman said another victim had called him on Sunday morning claiming he was robbed of Dh400 when he visited the apartment for a massage. The Arab woman who rented out the residence is currently being questioned. An officer with Sharjah Police confirmed the incident and stated that police teams have been formed to find the offenders. The official declared, "Sharjah police will not accept those who enter the Emirate to endanger community security." The police in Sharjah and Dubai reiterated their warnings to those considering getting a massage at unauthorized establishments. BKM/ Expat Media
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