Khaberni - Fraudsters in the UAE have resorted to using phone and video calls bearing logos of fake official entities to trap housemaids by exploiting their fear of deportation or loss of residence and employment, in order to extract their personal data or financial amounts through deceptive methods that make them believe these are official procedures.
The fraudsters exploit the ease of access to video calling applications and the prevalence of smartphones to create convincing visual and auditory tricks that deceive the victims into believing they are dealing with an official entity, while the lack of awareness among some domestic workers about the latest methods of electronic fraud and their belief in any official appearance make them easy targets for these criminals, facilitating their access to the desired information or financial amounts under threat.
Meanwhile, owners of domestic worker recruitment offices report an increase in complaints from women who receive phone and video calls from individuals claiming to be from the police or official entities, asking during the call to send photos of IDs or to specify residential locations, or to transfer money through bank transfers to settle a “fictitious case”, and in other cases, the victim is forced to open electronic links sent by the fraudsters, which are used to steal identity data and bank accounts.
Mona Ahmed, an employee in a housemaid recruitment office in Fujairah, said that some workers actually handed over their information and opened the sent links after receiving convincing video calls, in which the caller showed a card or documents bearing false official logos, stating that fear, language barriers, and lack of awareness of official procedures facilitated the execution of these schemes.
She noted that most of the workers newly arriving in the country lack the minimum technical knowledge or awareness of modern fraud methods, making them easily believe anything that appears official or related to security or governmental entities, especially when terms like “investigation” or “legal action” and “residency violation” are used, leading them to believe that ignoring the call might result in their deportation or punishment.
She pointed out that some workers deal with these calls in extreme panic, entering into bouts of crying or fear of losing their jobs, and they respond immediately to financial demands or to opening the sent links, without consulting their employers or returning to the offices through which they were recruited, which gives fraudsters a wider scope to carry out their operations without resistance or suspicion.
Furthermore, the owner of a recruitment office, who asked not to be named, said that the fraudsters exploit the psychological factor of vulnerable groups; the call starts with an official assertive tone that makes the other party feel they are facing a real authority, then gradually moves to a stage of threat or emotional persuasion, such as claiming that there is a “report” or “case” that requires immediate settlement to avoid jail or deportation.
He explained that the fraudsters use well-studied techniques to confuse the victim, such as demanding her to follow urgent instructions like opening an electronic link, photographing a passport through the camera, or transferring money, to confirm her “innocence”, adding that the quick response to these instructions mostly occurs due to technological ignorance and fear, not full conviction.
Asmaa Ali Al Hamadi, a citizen, recounted that she noticed severe distress on her domestic worker after she received a video call from a person wearing a police uniform, speaking to her in faulty English, and asking her to send a passport photo “to verify the validity of the residence,” noting that the worker was about to follow the instructions if it wasn’t for the family’s intervention at the last moment.
She said that the caller used a background bearing a police logo, and the name “police” appeared on the call screen falsely, while the text of the messages sent from the same number was signed with the word “Police”, making the worker believe that the call was indeed from an official security entity.
Resident Agadir Abdullah said that her domestic worker received a similar call, in which the caller informed her of a “report from the previous employer” and that she was threatened with deportation within 24 hours unless she responded, explaining that the worker was panicked for fear of losing her residence, before it became clear that the number was international and the call was completely fraudulent.
Carmen (a housemaid of Asian nationality) said that she received a phone call from a man who told her he was from an official entity, and asked her to transfer 500 UAE Dirhams immediately, to avoid a “legal violation”, adding that she rushed to inform her sponsor to assist her in the transfer process, but he alerted her that what she was facing was an attempt at electronic fraud, and advised her not to respond or share any data with the caller.
Carmen pointed out that the caller continued to send threatening messages, demanding amounts to settle the “alleged case” through different numbers, which aroused her fear and ultimately led her to inform the recruitment office, to take the necessary action, while changing her phone number was the best solution.
Abdullah Mohammed Al Shamsi, a citizen, mentioned that his domestic worker received a video call during which the caller pretended to be a police officer, and asked her to transfer 1000 Dirhams to settle an “alleged report”, and also asked her to open a link sent through a message to save an “identity verification document” which later turned out to be a gateway for stealing her data.
Legal advisor Asawir Al Mansouri affirmed that Federal Law No. (34) of 2021 regarding combating rumors and cybercrimes criminalizes impersonation and electronic fraud, pointing out that Article (40) imposes penalties of imprisonment and fines up to one million Dirhams on those who fraudulently obtain money or data of others through information networks.
In turn, the General Command of Fujairah Police urged community members to be cautious of video calls and suspicious links, emphasizing that security entities do not request money or bank data over the phone or messages, and that verifying the identity of the caller through official communication channels is the correct behavior, and urged immediate reporting of any fraud attempts through official platforms.
