Warning over Sharjah online property rental scam

  DUBAI – A Dubai-based engineer has warned others to be cautious when dealing with realtors online after he claimed he fell victim to online property rental fraud. Pakistani expatriate Arsalan Firdousi said he was looking for property advertisements on e-commerce portal Dubizzle last month when he came across a property listing and contacted the agent. Firdousi, 33, said he was looking for a two-bedroom apartment in Al Taawun area of Sharjah. He said he got in touch with a man who introduced himself as a realtor from Blue Stars Commercial Brokers LLC. Fircousi said that the realtor came to his house to discuss the matter, and later took him around Al Taawun area to show him a few property units. The Pakistani said that he paid the realtor a booking fee of Dh2,000 for an apartment that he liked and that he was then given a receipt. However, a few days later, the realtor stopped communicating with him after receiving the advance payment, he said. An office number indicated on the receipt was also disconnected. Its website bluestarsgroup.com, turned out to be non-existent. Firdousi has contacted Dubizzle, who said advertisers' details may only be given following a request by authorities. The Pakistani said he has also filed a complaint with the Sharjah Economic Development Department since the alleged fraud happened in Sharjah. JHQ/Expat 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