Six held in Dubai for online store fraud that wiped out savings
Officers in Dubai arrested six people who allegedly used a bogus retail website to harvest payment card data and drain victims' bank accounts, including a woman who lost years of savings.
Six held in Dubai for online store fraud that wiped out savings
Officers in Dubai have taken six individuals into custody over an elaborate internet fraud that siphoned cash from residents' bank accounts through a counterfeit retail website, according to The National.
The case began when several people reported mysterious withdrawals they never sanctioned. Detectives determined that the accused had built a phony e-commerce portal designed to harvest payment card numbers. With those details, the group allegedly carried out unlawful transactions and funnelled the cash into electronic wallets.
Among those targeted was a woman referred to as S.N., an employee at a private business. She stated that she had been sleeping when her mobile began receiving notifications about a sizable amount removed from her balance. The theft cleaned out funds she had put aside over multiple years, prompting her to alert law enforcement.
The emirate's main criminal investigation bureau formed a squad to pursue the matter. Their work exposed a half-dozen-strong network branded the "unexpected deduction" crew. The suspects are said to have established new banking and wallet accounts to stash the illicit gains, and to have peddled some of the stolen card information to third parties for further scams.
Through monitoring and detective work, the team pinpointed where the accused were staying and launched a joint operation to apprehend them. At the location, police confiscated payment cards belonging to targets that the group intended to trade to other offenders, as well as cheque books thought to facilitate the crimes. The inquiry further showed that the ring abused electronic wallet services from a phone carrier to collect the money.
Officials cautioned consumers to ensure an online shop is genuine before submitting any personal or monetary data, and never to hand card numbers to suspicious contacts. Residents who spot strange debits are encouraged to reach out immediately by dialling 901, or by using the Police Eye or eCrime channels on the Dubai Police website and smartphone app.
Source: Google News AE