In a recent incident, a jeweller in Dubai found himself entrapped in a fraudulent scam when he sold gold jewellery worth Dh23,000 to a fraudster in exchange for a fake transfer.
The Dubai Public Prosecution has issued a warning to sellers, urging them to exercise caution and avoid falling victim to scams involving non-cash transactions.
The incident came to light through the Dubai Public Prosecution’s periodical programme called ‘Crime and Lesson’. It revealed that the young manager of a gold jewellery store — identified as ‘S’ — was targeted by a professional fraudster.
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S, who had recently taken over the management of the store in his father’s absence, was eager to prove himself and gain valuable experience in the industry. The seemingly knowledgeable fraudster took advantage of his lack of experience and engaged with him in a lengthy conversation about jewellery, prices and product selection. Within a short span of time, the accused managed to gain S’s misplaced trust.
After building rapport, the fraudster selected gold jewellery worth Dh23,900 and negotiated a price with the unsuspecting manager. In an attempt to establish further trust, the fraudster offered to pay using his credit card. However, the payment process repeatedly failed. Seizing the opportunity, the fraudster suggested a bank transfer from his phone to the store’s account, assuring S that it was a secure and convenient option. Despite initial hesitation, S succumbed to the fraudster’s persuasion, unaware of the impending deception.
The fraudster swiftly executed a transfer on his phone and promptly showed S the screen, falsely confirming the completion of the transaction. He assured S that the funds would arrive within six hours due to the involvement of different banks. Unfortunately, S failed to exercise caution and neglected to retain the jewellery until the transfer was received. Meanwhile, the fraudster absconded with the valuable gold items.
Realizing his grave error, S promptly reported the incident to the authorities. The swift action by authorities led to the identification and arrest of the defendant. Subsequently, the case was referred to the Public Prosecution, which in turn brought charges of fraud against the accused.
A misdemeanour court sentenced the accused scammer to one month in jail and ordered him to pay the gold jewellery’s value.
The Dubai Public Prosecution emphasizes the importance of vigilance and urges sellers to resist the temptation of delivering high-value goods without ensuring proper payment.