Woman receives forged visas on WhatsApp, duped of Dh42,000 in Dubai

The accused forged nine e-entry permits which she falsely claimed to be issued from GDRFA.

A saleswoman has been charged at the Dubai Court of First Instance with fraud after she allegedly swindled a compatriot of Dh42,000 in exchange of electronic entry permits that turned out to be forged.
The 37-year-old Nepali saleswoman forged, together with a runaway accomplice, nine e-entry permits, which she falsely claimed to be issued from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners' Affairs (GDRFA).
She duped the victim of Dh42,000 after she sent her the forged copies on WhatsApp.
Prosecutors accused her of forgery, use of forged documents and fraud. She denied the charges in court.
The defendant's alleged wrongdoings took place in April last year. A case was registered at Al Rafaa police station.
The complainant, a 26-year-old Nepali woman on visit visa, said: "When I first met the defendant in April last year, she claimed she could help me have 10 labour visas issued for people in my home country.
"She claimed that her friend owned a guard services company and could issue those visas on his company's name. She asked for Dh50,000."
The complainant told the prosecutor she paid the defendant Dh22,000. "I then travelled to Nepal and from there, I sent her copies of the visa applicants' passports on WhastApp."
After about two weeks, the defendant called her to say that the visas were ready and she sent her the copies on WhatsApp.
"I paid her through a relative two cheques worth Dh20,000," the victim said.
However, after paying the money, the defendant stopped returning the complainant's calls or answering her messages. "I began to suspect that the visas were not real, so I checked with a tourism agency and my doubts were right. I came back to Dubai in May 2018. When I finally found the defendant, she alleged to me the visas were valid.
She claimed her friend had them issued under his company's sponsorship. The accused later contended that he was not taking her calls."
The victim then lodged a complaint that she was duped.  
A letter from the GDRFA showed that the nine entry permits, subject of the case, were all forged.
A ruling will be issued on January 27.

mary@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai