Fraudsters on the prowl with Ejari certificate offer

The procedure to get a tenancy contract registered with the Dubai Land Department’s Ejari system has been simplified and there are a large number of typing centres across the emirate giving this service, but some people still claim to have been duped by online ‘fraudsters’ who ‘sold’ them fake registration certificates.

Whether it is a lack of awareness about the procedure and the law concerned or just indiscretion, several residents still approach some ‘brokers’ or PROs who post their services online to help them obtain the tenancy contract registration certificate and get the family visa transaction done. In the last few months, the Dubai Courts have heard many such cases where residents were charged with criminal complicity and aiding and abetting other accomplices forge such certificates and use them to obtain visas for family members. In their pleas, they would claim innocence saying they were unaware that the certificate was forged.

However, in the absence of any proof to sustain this plea of innocence, several of them are now facing jail terms and deportation orders.

No tolerance

Counsellor Ali Humeid bin Khatem, Advocate-General and head of the Naturalisation and Residency Prosecution, told Khaleej Times that the claim of innocence by some defendants in such crimes is not taken into consideration. “They claim to be innocent and that they are victims of fraud even as they tried to trick the law by using a forged document. They don’t even have an authentic tenancy contract and they seek the help of such fraudsters to acquire one.”

The PRO or broker, in such cases, is also traced through the typing centre where he submits the fake document even if he is in another emirate. “We will not spare any effort to bring them to justice.”

Some claim to have paid up to Dh1,000 or more to the “PRO” to complete the procedure to get necessary documents including the Ejari certificate while the certificate costs Dh195 only.

“None would pay such a huge amount if he is not aware he is doing something wrong. They can’t claim to be gullible since they have tried to break the law by committing or aiding and abetting in forgery,” Bin Khatem pointed out.

He stresses: “The tenancy contract is a guarantee that the family visa applicant has a decent accommodation convenient to receive any family member before he can get that person a visa. It is not meant as an obstacle to deprive them of visas but rather to make sure they would take care of their families and secure them a convenient place during their stay in Dubai.”

The top prosecutor said the residents, who want to apply for visas for their family members, should, indeed, have an accommodation, whether rented or owned.

The tenancy contract registration certificate is a document proving that the tenancy contract is authentic.

Ejari is an electronic system started by the Land Department at authenticate the tenancy contracts in Dubai. Thanks to the Ejari system, forgery cases are being easily detected and exposed.

Residents still fall prey

The Naturalisation and Residency Prosecution has been warning, through the media, residents against forging tenancy contracts to obtain residence visas for family members, But some people, currently caught in the middle of legal cases because of the forgery, are claiming to be innocent victims of fraudsters who would simply vanish after the forgery is exposed.

Filipino clerk F.S.’s case is one of the latest. The 33-year-old claimed to Khaleej Times that he found out about a Pakistani man through a popular website and learnt he could arrange tenancy contracts. He said he paid him Dh1,000 for the contract which landed him in court later as it was fake.

“I met him at a shopping centre and paid him Dh1,000 and collected the certificate on the spot. I had earlier scanned my passport and sent it to him so that he could fill in the tenancy contract with my personal details.”

F.S. has been charged in court with aiding and abetting a runaway accomplice in forging and using a forged tenancy contract registration certificate.

F.S., who is awaiting the outcome of his case on January 6, was hoping to have a residency visa issued for his wife when he approached, in March, the man identified as M. for the tenancy contract as part of the documents required for the visa processing.

The clerk, who had no idea the certificate would cost only Dh195, feels “very sorry” for what he called “a big mistake” that caused him legal trouble and could possibly result in his being jailed and deported. “I was so eager to complete my documents and bring my wife here and later my three-year-old daughter. I don’t know what I was thinking and how I could have trusted that man!”

Samir (name changed) was also one of many examples of gullible people being tricked by some unscrupulous “PROs”.

The 28-year-old Pakistani, who works as a manager in a real estate firm, entrusted a PRO with his daughter’s visa application, but his life took an unexpected turn ever since.

Samir claims he paid the PRO Dh2,500 to have the visa issued and to cover expenses such as typing, medical fitness fees, Emirates ID fees, and other typing expenses to sponsor his then four-month-old daughter’s residence visa.

However, after making the due visa payments, instead of getting the visa, he found himself involved in a forgery case.

He was caught at the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) when he went to collect the visa.

Penalty for forgery

According to Article 217 of the Federal Penal Code, whoever forges or uses an official forged document shall be sentenced to a period not exceeding five years in prison. According to Article 121 of the same law, the courts, both Criminal and the Misdemeanours, may order the deportation of the accused, if found guilty, in forgery cases.

“The crime of forgery bears a penalty starting from three years in prison. However, the court may sometimes give the defendant six months in jail if extenuating circumstances were found in the case,” Bin Khatem concluded.

mary@khaleejtimes.com