Gang Ordered to Repay Dh439,000 in Sophisticated Bank Message Fraud Case

The Al Ain Court for Civil, Commercial and Administrative Claims has held a seven-member gang liable for defrauding a resident by using a fake bank message, ordering them to repay Dh439,000 and awarding the victim an additional Dh30,000 in compensation.

Case records show that the plaintiff filed a civil claim seeking the return of the stolen funds with legal interest, as well as Dh50,000 in compensation for emotional and psychological harm. He explained that the defendants deceived him through a fraudulent text message and a follow-up call from someone impersonating a bank employee, who obtained his confidential banking information under the pretext of an urgent account update.

The defendants had already been convicted in absentia in related criminal proceedings, which resulted in imprisonment sentences and deportation orders. Evidence presented in the civil case included detailed transfer records showing the amounts each defendant received. Despite being properly notified, none of the defendants appeared before the court.

In its ruling, the court emphasized the legal principle that no one may unlawfully take another’s property and that any funds obtained without legitimate cause must be returned. It found that the defendants’ actions directly caused the victim financial loss, the deprivation of his money, and significant distress, including fear and anxiety.

The court ordered the defendants to return the stolen amounts as follows: Dh70,000 from the first defendant; Dh120,000 from the second; Dh40,000 each from the third and fourth; Dh78,000 each from the fifth and sixth; and Dh13,000 from the seventh. Additionally, they were held jointly liable for Dh30,000 in compensation, along with legal fees and costs.

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