3 Dubai hackers 'impersonate lawyer, defraud his client of Dh232,000'

Dubai - After lawyer reported the suspects to the police, they were apprehended in a sting operation.

A Turkey-based man was defrauded of more than Dh232,000 after communicating with hackers who pretended to be from his Dubai lawyer's office, the Court of First Instance has heard.
The client could have been conned of another Dh60,000 after the three fraudsters communicated with him via Skype and emails. The trio sent him letters stating that his pending civil lawsuits were resolved and the financial claims were deposited in his bank account.
However, when he came to Dubai in July 2019, he learned from the bank that those letters were forged. He then went to his lawyer's office, after which he realised he had been conned.
"After meeting my client on July 23, 2019, the suspects reached out to him via Skype and demanded Dh60,000 from him, including Dh40,000 as attorney fees and Dh20,000 as translation charges," the lawyer told the public prosecution investigator.
After lawyer reported the suspects to the police, they were apprehended in a sting operation. "The total amount siphoned off from my client is Dh232,340," the lawyer said.
A complaint was lodged in October 2019 at Al Muraqqabat police station. The lawyer said the three defendants hacked into his business e-mail and stole the contact details of his client.
"In their correspondence with my client, they made him believe that they work for me and that the amounts they charged him were court, legal expertise and accountancy fees," the lawyer said.
A police sergeant said they arrested the accused near a shopping centre in Al Rigga, Al Muraqqabat, around 4.15pm on October 17 last year.
In the prosecution chargesheet, the three men are accused of forging documents attributed to the Dubai Courts, lawyer's office and a bank.
The trial will continue on August 4.
mary@khaleejtimes.com 

• Dubai