Dubai Police warn drivers of vehicle insurance scams with 10 safety tips
Dubai Police's Anti-Fraud Centre has flagged a surge in online vehicle insurance scams. Fraudsters impersonate insurers to steal money and banking details.
Dubai Police flag rising vehicle insurance fraud targeting motorists
Fraudsters are impersonating licensed insurance companies, brokers and approved entities to steal money and personal banking details from motorists, gulfnews.com reports. Dubai Police's Anti-Fraud Centre at the General Department of Criminal Investigation confirmed the scams are being conducted via fake advertisements, links and electronic accounts.
Scammers typically lure victims with unusually cheap insurance offers or send urgent messages urging immediate policy renewals. Once engaged, victims are directed to fraudulent links where they are asked to enter vehicle details, personal information, bank card numbers and verification codes.
Dubai Police issued 10 steps for motorists to protect themselves:
1. Verify the insurance company — Confirm the company's name and ensure it holds a valid licence before transferring any funds. 2. Check the bank account — Ensure the beneficiary account belongs to the insurance company, not an individual or unrelated entity. 3. Scrutinise online advertisements — Do not act on insurance advertisements or messages received via social media without verifying the advertiser's official credentials. 4. Review the policy details — Confirm that the insurance company, broker and all policy information match those of officially registered entities. 5. Avoid unknown links — Do not click on links from unverified sources offering insurance deals or policy renewals. 6. Be wary of unusually low prices — Offers significantly below market rate are a common tactic used to attract victims. 7. Protect banking information — Never share card details, passwords or verification codes with anyone claiming to represent an insurer. 8. Contact the insurer directly — Use official communication channels to confirm any offer or payment request before proceeding with a transfer. 9. Keep records — Retain transfer receipts, correspondence and insurance offers in case they are required for reporting or investigation. 10. Stop if fraud is suspected — Halt all payments immediately, then contact your bank and the relevant authorities without delay.
The warning follows a broader pattern in which scammers increasingly deploy online advertising and impersonation tactics to make fraudulent offers appear credible. Dubai Police urged motorists to verify insurer credentials and payment details exclusively through official channels before sharing any information or completing a transaction.
Source: Google News UAE — Dubai