Dubai Police shut down 103 fake social media accounts for online scams

Dubai Police said it dismantled 103 fraudulent social media accounts during the second quarter of the year as part of a broader campaign to curb online scams and strengthen protection against cybercrime.

The figures were announced during a quarterly review of the General Department of Criminal Investigation, where senior officials assessed crime trends, operational performance and measures to counter emerging security threats.

According to details on the Dubai Police website, the meeting was chaired by Deputy Commander-in-Chief for Criminal Affairs Maj. Gen. Hareb Al Shamsi, who said that tackling increasingly sophisticated fraud schemes requires cooperation between law enforcement agencies, public institutions and the community.

He called on residents to remain alert when interacting online, urging them not to disclose personal or banking details to unverified individuals or platforms and to report suspected fraud attempts without delay.

Officials also examined cases handled by the Anti-Fraud Centre, reviewing the methods used by cybercriminals to deceive victims and discussing ways to strengthen the early detection of scams and enhance response capabilities.

The review included an assessment of operations conducted by specialist investigative units, with police highlighting efforts to expand proactive policing, improve operational preparedness and prevent crime before it occurs.

Dubai Police said crime data for the first half of the year showed declines across several criminal indicators, which authorities attributed to ongoing enforcement operations and preventive security initiatives.