The UAE has a mature reporting infrastructure, but it is split between federal and Emirate-level bodies. Reporting to the wrong one does not usually lose the case, though it often costs days.
Federal: the eCrime platform
Cyber-enabled crime — online fraud, phishing, extortion, impersonation, account takeover — is reported through the federal eCrime platform operated by the Ministry of Interior. It accepts reports from residents and visitors and issues a reference you should keep.
Emirate police services
Dubai Police and Abu Dhabi Police both operate their own apps and hotlines with dedicated services for financial and electronic crime, and other Emirates have equivalent channels. For an incident with a local element — a physical office, a company registered in that Emirate, a meeting that took place there — reporting to the relevant Emirate's police alongside eCrime is worthwhile.
Your bank and the central bank
UAE banks maintain fraud escalation lines and are the only route to attempt a recall on a transfer. Report by phone, then confirm in writing. Where a bank or payment provider has handled a complaint badly, the central bank operates a consumer protection route for escalation once the bank's own process is exhausted.
Consumer and licensing complaints
Where the dispute is with a licensed business rather than an anonymous fraudster — a service not delivered, fees not honoured — the economic development department of the relevant Emirate handles consumer complaints against licensed companies, and the free-zone authority does so for companies licensed in a free zone. Establishing which licence a company holds tells you which body to approach.
Before you file
- Assemble your Emirates ID, the transaction records, and any contract or invoice.
- Export the full correspondence rather than selected screenshots.
- Note the company's trade licence number if one was ever provided — it determines the route.
- Keep every reference number issued to you.