Court Orders Woman to Pay Dh14,000 Over Instagram Domestic Worker Scam
Victim lured by misleading social media advert promising maid recruitment services and upfront processing.
Staff WriterFeb 21, 2026, 10:10 AMA woman has been ordered to pay Dh14,000 after duping a man through a misleading Instagram advertisement that falsely claimed she could arrange the recruitment of a domestic worker, an Abu Dhabi court has ruled.
The Abu Dhabi Family, Civil and Administrative Claims Court directed the woman to refund Dh7,000 she had received and to pay an additional Dh7,000 in compensation for the financial and emotional harm suffered by the claimant.
The man came across an online advert in which the woman claimed to work in domestic labour recruitment. After contacting her to use the service, she requested an advance payment of Dh7,000 to proceed with hiring a maid.
The man transferred the amount to her bank account, but the woman failed to fulfil the agreement and did not provide the promised service.
The claimant subsequently filed a civil case seeking repayment, legal interest and compensation. He submitted supporting evidence, including a criminal judgment that had already convicted the woman and fined her Dh20,000, along with WhatsApp messages exchanged between the parties.
In its ruling, the court cited the UAE Civil Transactions Law, which stipulates that no person may take another’s property without lawful justification and that any unlawfully obtained amount must be returned. The court concluded that the woman had obtained the money through deception and was therefore obligated to repay it.
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