29-member phone fraud gang arrested in joint UAE police operations

Abu Dhabi - The gang pretended to be bank employees and called the victims on their phones.

A gang of 29 fraudsters, who duped UAE residents of their cash after illegally obtaining their bank details, has been busted. The Asian men were nabbed in joint operations carried out by the Abu Dhabi Police and their counterparts in Dubai and Ajman.
Police said members of the gang, which operated in four groups, pretended to be bank employees and called the victims on their phones, telling them that their bank accounts or credit cards had been frozen.
They prodded them to share their personal information so their account details in the bank systems could be updated. After getting the details, the conmen used it to steal the victim's money from bank accounts and credit cards, the police added.
After receiving a number of complaints, the police swung into action, tracked down the suspects and arrested them from several apartments in Dubai and Ajman.
The gang members, who operated from residential apartments located in various emirates, were identified and arrested, said Brigadier General Imran Ahmed Al Mazroui, director of criminal investigation at Abu Dhabi Police's criminal security department. "The Abu Dhabi Police, in cooperation with the Dubai and Ajman Police, nabbed the fraudsters in separate operations at their place of residences which they used as calling centres to con their victims," said Al Mazroui.
"Three groups consisting of 25 members were arrested in Ajman, while four members of one group were arrested in Dubai."
Brigadier General Muslim Al Ameri, deputy director of the criminal security sector at Abu Dhabi Police, has called on the public not to respond to any call or message received from unknown people posing to be bank employees and to refrain from providing any personal information about their bank accounts or credit cards to anyone.
Police have also warned the pubic to be vigilant against all fraudulent calls including those that promise them fake prizes designed to extract the victim's credit card number and personal details.
People have been told to report any suspicion of scam by calling 800 2626.
ismail@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE
• Abu Dhabi