Abu Dhabi Police Alert: Salary-Day Fraud Spike Prompts New Cybercrime Warning

In brief

Abu Dhabi Police have issued a cybercrime warning identifying sophisticated fraud schemes deliberately timed to coincide with monthly salary cycles. The alert details tactics including fake property listings, counterfeit websites, and remote access malware, and directs residents to verify transactions independently and report suspicious activity through official channels.

Key takeaways

Abu Dhabi Police have identified a deliberate pattern of fraud campaigns timed to monthly salary cycles when account balances are higher and vigilance is reduced
The force has issued specific protective measures requiring residents to avoid sharing banking details, passwords, and one-time passwords, and to verify legitimacy of sellers independently before transferring funds
Criminals are employing sophisticated tactics including counterfeit government websites, remote access malware, fake property and vehicle listings, and fraudulent job and visa service offers
Abu Dhabi Police operate the Aman reporting service through telephone (8002626), text (2828), and email ([email protected]) to enable early identification of fraud patterns and disruption of criminal operations
The effectiveness of the public warning campaign in reducing victim numbers remains an open question for authorities

Organizations

Abu Dhabi Police
Abu Dhabi Customs

Dubai Life

Abu Dhabi Police Alert: Salary-Day Fraud Spike Prompts New Cybercrime Warning

Law enforcement issues guidance on fraud tactics timed to salary deposits

By Senior Editor Published July 27, 2026

Abu Dhabi Police have issued a formal warning linking a surge in electronic fraud to the monthly salary cycle, alerting residents that criminals are deliberately timing their campaigns to coincide with wage deposit dates, when accounts are fuller and vigilance can slip.

The directive, released by the force, identifies a wide and sophisticated range of deceptive schemes currently in circulation. Fake advertisements for residential properties, including villas and chalets, are being used to solicit deposits. Scammers are posing as legitimate providers of residency visa services and circulating fraudulent job offers designed to appear genuine. Labour supply services are being impersonated, unauthorised insurance products are being marketed, and fabricated listings purporting to offer vehicles seized by Abu Dhabi Customs are being used to lure victims. Online advertisements promoting vehicle number plates and luxury watches at implausibly low prices have also been reported, alongside investment schemes promising unrealistic returns in financial markets.

The operational sophistication extends beyond fake goods and property listings.

Criminals are constructing counterfeit websites and links built to impersonate government agencies or well-known private organisations. Others are tricking users into installing remote access software that hands over device control entirely. Upfront deposits are being solicited for goods, services, training courses, and certificates that do not exist. Fake event tickets are circulating through fraudulent channels. Each tactic is designed to exploit a moment of lowered caution.

Abu Dhabi Police have set out specific protective measures the public is required to follow. Banking details, passwords, and one-time passwords must not be shared with anyone, regardless of who requests them. Residents should not transfer money or pay deposits before independently verifying the legitimacy of a seller or service provider. Government services must be accessed only through official websites and mobile applications, not through links surfaced by search engines or unverified sources.

The force’s guidance is direct: interact only with official and trusted entities, and treat any offer that appears too good to be true as a warning sign. Suspicious links should not be opened.

Reporting mechanisms are operated directly by Abu Dhabi Police through the Aman service, which accepts reports by telephone at 8002626, by text message to 2828, or by email at [email protected]. The force has stressed that prompt reporting is essential, framing early notification as a tool that enables law enforcement to identify fraud patterns and disrupt criminal operations before they cause wider financial harm.

Whether the timing of this public warning, issued ahead of a salary period, will translate into measurable reductions in victim numbers remains the open question for authorities tracking the effectiveness of such campaigns.

Q&A

What pattern has Abu Dhabi Police identified in the timing of fraud campaigns?

Abu Dhabi Police have identified that criminals are deliberately timing fraud campaigns to coincide with monthly salary deposit dates, when accounts are fuller and vigilance can slip.

What specific protective measures has Abu Dhabi Police directed residents to follow?

Residents must not share banking details, passwords, or one-time passwords with anyone; must not transfer money or pay deposits before independently verifying legitimacy; and must access government services only through official websites and mobile applications, not through search engine links or unverified sources.

What types of fraudulent schemes are currently in circulation according to the warning?

Schemes include fake property advertisements, counterfeit visa and job offers, impersonated labour supply services, unauthorized insurance products, fabricated customs vehicle listings, counterfeit websites impersonating government agencies, remote access malware, fake event tickets, and investment schemes promising unrealistic returns.

How can residents report suspected fraud to Abu Dhabi Police?

Residents can report through the Aman service by telephone at 8002626, by text message to 2828, or by email at [email protected]. The force has stressed that prompt reporting is essential to enable law enforcement to identify fraud patterns and disrupt criminal operations.