Dubai Police bust investment fraud gang that used victims' bank accounts to launder money

Show caption: The gang took control of accounts and used them to conduct s…

Criminal network recruited people to open accounts for fraudulent use

The National

November 14, 2026

• Dubai Police dismantled a gang running an investment fraud scheme that exploited financially vulnerable individuals through deceptive recruitment tactics.
• The gang recruited people to open bank accounts and digital wallets in their own names before surrendering control to the criminals.
• Criminals used these accounts to conduct suspicious financial transactions and conceal the identities of the real beneficiaries of illicit funds.
• Investigators identified and apprehended the network through intensive intelligence gathering operations.
• "Anyone approached with suspicious financial offers is encouraged to report it," Dubai Police said.

Dubai Police have dismantled a gang that ran an investment fraud scheme by recruiting people to open bank accounts and digital wallets in their own names before surrendering control to the criminals.

The operation by the General Department of Criminal Investigation exposed a network that exploited financially vulnerable individuals by offering them money in exchange for their banking credentials.

Once account holders handed over their login details, gang members assumed control of the accounts and used them to conduct suspicious financial transactions and channel proceeds from fraudulent activities.

By operating accounts registered under other people's names, the gang tried to conceal the identities of the real beneficiaries and complicate authorities' attempts to trace the movement and origins of illicit funds.

Investigators identified the network through intensive intelligence gathering before apprehending its members.

Dubai Police warned that people who allow others to use their personal bank accounts or digital wallets risked legal consequences, particularly if those accounts were used for fraud or money laundering.

Police said no financial incentive justified someone allowing another person to operate an account registered in their name.

The force urged the public to be vigilant against offers promising easy money in exchange for opening accounts or sharing banking information, as this is a common tactic used by criminal organisations to conceal illegally obtained funds.

Anyone approached with suspicious financial offers is encouraged to report the incident through the Police Eye service, the eCrime platform, the Dubai Police website, the Dubai Police smart application or by calling the Dubai Police Contact Centre on 901.

Updated:

November 14, 2026, 10:58 AM