Picture for illustrative purposes only. ARCHIVE

The Sharjah Misdemeanour Court has sentenced two men to six months in jail after they tricked a victim into believing he had won a fake Dh200,000 cash prize before stealing Dh84,000 from his bank account. The defendants were convicted in absentia. Court records showed the victim received a phone call from two men claiming to represent a government entity. The callers told him he had won Dh200,000 and asked him to provide identification documents, banking details and a one-time password to process the payment. Believing the claim to be genuine, the victim complied. He later discovered that Dh84,000 had been withdrawn from his bank account and that no prize money had been deposited. After reviewing evidence presented during trial, the court found the men guilty of fraud and ordered their imprisonment followed by deportation. Authorities have repeatedly warned residents against prize scams, which often involve fraudsters impersonating government officials, banks or telecom companies. Officials urged the public never to share banking details, verification codes or passwords over the phone and to verify any prize claims through official channels. Cybercrime experts in the UAE have noted a rise in social engineering scams targeting residents through calls, text messages and fake promotions. Residents who receive suspicious calls are encouraged to report them to police immediately. ICA/Expat Media
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