If you’re planning to sell your car online, here's a serious lesson. Dubai Police have just taken down a fraud gang that scammed people by posing as car buyers on popular online platforms, using fake cheques and forged documents to take off with high-value vehicles.
What exactly happened?
The scammers worked in a coordinated team. Here’s how their trick worked:
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One member would contact the seller and agree to buy the car.
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Another would impersonate a representative from a well-known company to make things look professional and trustworthy.
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They would then meet the seller, often late at night at a vehicle registration centre, and hand over a fake cheque.
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As soon as the ownership was transferred, the car would be exported abroad, long before the seller even realised the cheque was worthless.
Dubai Police said they received several similar reports and launched an investigation through the Anti-Fraud Centre, eventually tracking down and arresting the gang, who were operating both inside the UAE and internationally.
The gang mostly went after expensive, high-value vehicles listed online. Their tactics included using urgent language, posing as reputable businesses, and rushing deals at odd hours to prevent sellers from double-checking details.
Dubai police urges car owners to follow necessary safety measures during the buying and selling process, including receiving payment in cash before the registration or transfer procedures and also verifying the authenticity of cheques with relevant banks prior to finalising any transactions.
If you spot anything suspicious or think you’ve been targeted, report it right away through the Dubai Police eCrime platform or the Dubai Police app.