Dubai Police have issued a fresh alert after detecting a surge in fraudulent social-media posts promising residency visas and lucrative jobs in exchange for upfront payments. The warning, posted on 18 July as part of the force’s ongoing ‘Be Aware of Fraud’ campaign, highlights how cyber-criminals are exploiting the summer hiring season to dupe job-seekers and new graduates. According to investigators, scammers impersonate legitimate recruitment firms or government agencies, offering everything from "guaranteed golden visas" to fast-track work permits—often for fees ranging between AED 3,000 and AED 15,000. Victims typically receive forged employment letters and are instructed to transfer money via informal channels before the fraudsters disappear. Police stress that all employment visas and residency permits must be processed through the Ministry of Human Resources & Emiratisation (MoHRE) and the General Directorate of Residency & Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA). Payments are made on secure government portals; no third-party should ever request cash or bank transfers. Residents are urged to verify trade-licence numbers, use the official "e-channels" platform and report suspicious adverts via the e-crime portal (www.ecrime.ae) or by calling 901. For HR and mobility teams, the alert is a timely reminder to audit the recruiters they engage, ensure offer letters carry QR-coded verification and brief relocating staff on the correct visa workflow. Companies that outsource onboarding to third-party agents should insist on proof of GDRFA registration and keep payment flows traceable. Failure to tackle the problem has reputational as well as financial costs: victims who overstay on bogus visas may face fines or travel bans, while employers complicit—knowingly or otherwise—in illegal recruitment risk penalties of up to AED 50,000 per worker under Federal Decree-Law 29 of 2021.
Source: The National
