Fraudster Ordered To Return Dh42,500 Sent To Fake Bank Account For Rent

A fraudster who tricked a tenant into transferring Dh42,500 in rent to a fake bank account has been convicted, with an Abu Dhabi court ordering him to return the money.

 

The fraud occurred when the tenant, who was renting a property from a company, received a message from a person claiming to be an employee of the firm while he was preparing to renew his lease.

 

The impersonator instructed the tenant to transfer the rent to a specified bank account. Believing the instructions had come from an authorised representative of the property company, the tenant transferred Dh42,500.

 

He later discovered that the account did not belong to the company and realised that he had fallen victim to a scam. The incident led to a criminal complaint and subsequent proceedings, in which the person linked to the fraudulent transaction was convicted.

 

Following the criminal case, the victim approached the civil court seeking to recover the money he had lost.

 

He filed a lawsuit before the Abu Dhabi Family, Civil and Administrative Claims Court, demanding that the defendant repay the full Dh42,500.

 

The tenant also sought Dh10,000 in compensation for the material, moral and psychological damage he said he had suffered as a result of the fraud. He further requested legal interest of 10 per cent from the date the lawsuit was filed until the amount was paid.

 

In considering the civil claim, the court relied on findings established during the earlier criminal proceedings.

 

Under the principle governing the relationship between criminal and civil judgments, findings conclusively established by a criminal court concerning the act underlying both proceedings cannot be reconsidered by the civil court.

 

The civil court therefore ordered the defendant to return the Dh42,500 transferred by the tenant.

 

The case highlights the risks of acting on payment instructions received through messages without independently verifying the recipient's bank details with the landlord or property management company.