Dubai: Man fined Dh4,000 for posting fake WhatsApp ad on maid services

An Arab man was fined Dh4,000 in Dubai for posting a WhatsApp ad that claimed he could provide maid services at affordable prices. It turned out to be a scam, and a couple was duped into paying a deposit of Dh2,000.

Under the UAE's new domestic workers law, maids can be hired only through licensed agencies. The public prosecution's investigations confirmed that the fraudster was offering bogus maid recruitment services, stating in his WhatsApp posts that he could bring in domestic workers of different nationalities. An unidentified woman, who posed as his employee, helped him in the racket by answering queries and facilitating the transaction.

The male victim told the authorities that he came across the ad on the messaging app and told his wife about it as they were looking for a maid. She then contacted the number shared in the post and spoke to an Arab woman, court records show.

The victim told the woman that she wanted a maid from a certain African country and the employee confirmed that they have an available worker who could head to their house on the same day. They agreed on a Dh3,500 recruitment fee, and a Dh2,000 deposit must be made on the spot. The rest shall be transferred once the maid arrives.

Hoping to hire the maid immediately, the couple made the deposit right away — but soon after, they lost contact with the accused. They waited for the maid to come and when no one arrived, they tried contacting the fraudsters again, to no avail.

The husband then decided to inform the police, and through the details of the bank transfer, the cops managed to arrest the man who supposedly received the money.

The suspect denied the charge, saying he knew nothing about the incident, and he didn't appear before the court. He was convicted and fined Dh4,000.

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