Fraud in the UAE | UAE Law Against Fraud

Any personal or financial gain that a person obtains through wrongful or criminal deception is known as fraud.

Fraud in UAE is considered a serious crime and a person who is found guilty of committing fraud may receive a jail sentence or a fine. The punishment for fraud can range from 1 month to 3 years in jail although in a case of fraud against a government institution, that punishment could be extended up to 6 years in jail. If a judge was to decide that the punishment will be by way of a fine, that could range from AED 30,000 to AED 60,000, depending on the severity and the judges discretion.

Even in the event both parties agree upon a settlement, the guilty party may still be required to pay a fine. In that case, however, it may be possible to have the fine lowered.

If a person found guilty of committing fraud is convicted of the same crime again, they can be put under surveillance for a period of up to 2 years or even for a period that matches the previous jail sentence.

The punishment for attempted fraud can be up to 2 years in jail with a fine of up to AED 20,000 if that person is found guilty.

The rules change somewhat if a charge of fraud is related to a family member. In that instance, the public prosecutor is not able to pursue the case independently and the charges themselves must be brought by the accuser. In this instance, if the case is settled out of court, there will be no further action by way of fines issued over and above the settlement.