Abu Dhabi Police apprehended a gang that fraudulently stole money through promotional offers by one of the country’s phone services providers.
In a professional operation called ‘The Spiders’, the fake prize phone gang defrauded victims over the telephone with cash prizes, by persuading them to transfer money to currency exchange companies or phone credits, as fees to receive fake prizes.
Brigadier Rashid Mubarak Al Mesmari, director of the External Regions Police of the Criminal Security Sector, said that the operation resulted in the arrest of ten people of Asian nationality.
He explained that Al Rahba Police Station received reports from victims of the fraud who were tricked into spending their savings on fake prizes.
Abu Dhabi Police subsequently planned security operation which managed to identify the suspects, and tracked their movements, which they said were similar to a spider’s webs, according to news agency WAM.
Following the gang’s arrest, Al Mesmari said officials seized many forged documents, devices and tools, as well as phones and cards used in the fraud.
He warned mobile phone users about the trap of fake prizes that target people’s savings with fake promotional offers, which are done because of “greed for fast profits”.
He also called on the public to immediately report these crimes early, which will assist in tracking and prosecuting the culprits and bringing down a scam.
Follow us on
