A Dubai-based Asian doctor, was left in shock after discovering that her credit card had been used for 14 unauthorized transactions totalling over Dh120,000 while she was performing surgery. The fraudulent charges occurred over a span of seven hours across multiple locations, including major electronics stores in Dubai Mall and Sharjah—some exceeding Dh10,000 per transaction.

 

Fraudulent Transactions Without OTP Verification

Despite never digitizing her credit card on any mobile device, transactions were made using her credentials, including two in Kuwaiti Dinars (KWD), without requiring OTP verification. Even after her card was completely exhausted, four additional transactions went through.

 

Bank’s Response Raises Questions

The doctor further revealed that her bank flagged an early suspicious transaction but failed to take preventive action. When she reported the fraud and requested an immediate block, she was told that payments were still pending. However, the charges were later posted, despite her timely complaint.

Eventually, the bank claimed the payments were processed through Apple Pay, but she never registered her card on the platform. Apple also confirmed that her card had never been linked to their service, raising serious concerns about how the transactions were authorized.

 

Bank’s Offer Rejected

Instead of offering a resolution, the bank proposed a 12-month installment plan for the doctor to repay the fraudulent charges—a proposal she flatly refused. 

When contacted, a bank spokesperson stated that they take fraud-related concerns seriously and conduct thorough investigations. However, they cannot comment on individual cases due to confidentiality.

 

A Growing Cybersecurity Threat

This case highlights a concerning trend in the UAE, where credit card fraud is on the rise, leaving victims powerless as banks often refuse accountability. In similar cases:

Fraudulent credit cards were issued in a victim's name using a forged Emirates ID, each maxed out at Dh30,000.

Unauthorized transactions were discovered on a card in another country, despite the cardholder never leaving the UAE.

A victim was charged for transactions even after blocking their card.

A driver lost their entire bank balance without receiving an OTP request.

Cybersecurity experts warn that fraud cases are increasing, with public sector entities facing over 50,000 threats daily. Unfortunately, victims often experience blame or harassment from recovery agents instead of receiving proper solutions.

With financial fraud on the rise, experts urge residents to monitor their transactions, secure their banking details, and escalate issues legally if banks fail to act responsibly.

 

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