Facebook ads were used by scammers to entice victims; prison sentences, reparation, and deportation were mandated.Abu Dhabi: According to Emarat Al Youm, three Arab nationals were found guilty in Abu Dhabi of masterminding a sophisticated real estate scam that used a fictitious property finance firm to swindle a man and his wife of Dh800,000. A Facebook advertisement for a purported real estate finance company enticed the pair. After a number of meetings, the couple was convinced to buy a villa from what they thought was a reputable real estate developer after the wife got in touch with a man who claimed to be the company’s sales manager. To win the couple’s faith, the con artists offered phony sales agreements, falsified commercial licenses, and a false contract in the name of a government agency. The spouse put down Dh800,000 for the villa since he was certain the offer was real. The couple filed a police report after the alleged agents disappeared shortly after. The suspects were taken into custody by the authorities and subsequently accused with forgery and fraud by the Public Prosecution. The three men were given a six-month prison sentence by the Criminal Court, which also ordered them to pay back the money that had been stolen, seized the falsified documents, and decided that they should be deported after completing their sentences. In order to recoup their losses and pursue damages, the couple later filed a civil case.The Civil Court upheld in its decision that the criminal conviction proved the defendants’ guilt and their responsibility for the damage. Citing the interruption to their financial stability and the loss of confidence following the unsuccessful investment, it claimed that the couple had both financial loss and emotional pain.In addition to the Dh800,000 that was seized and an additional Dh100,000 in compensation, the court ordered the defendants to jointly pay Dh900,000, plus five percent legal interest from the date of the claim until final repayment.
Huawei Introduces Smartwatch Feature to Assess Diabetes Risk
February 14, 2026
