Elderly European woman loses Dh12 million to romance scammer posing as Dubai businessman in UAE

Summary

An elderly European woman fell victim to a romance scam, losing nearly Dh12 million (approximately $3.3 million) after being emotionally manipulated by a fraudster posing as a Dubai-based businessman. The scammer, who is of African nationality, convinced her to sell her assets and transfer the money to him, after which she relocated to Dubai and discovered the deception. The incident occurred in the UAE, with the scammer operating remotely from an African country. Dubai Police’s cybercrime unit investigated the case and shared details with international law enforcement through diplomatic channels. The fraudster is described as part of a broader trend of online romance scams, where scammers use social media to target vulnerable individuals. Authorities emphasized the importance of digital awareness and urged victims to report scams promptly.