Beware of online car sale fraud in new form in UAE: Sharjah Police
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Sharjah: The Sharjah Police General Headquarters has warned the community against fraudulent websites that claim to specialise in buying and selling cars.
The fraudsters apparently use a new criminal method in which they rely on depositing fake cheques at ATMs during weekends or official holidays, taking advantage of the cessation of financial operations in institutions, deceiving victims into completing their deals.
The Criminal and Investigation Department at Sharjah Police has received several reports stating that some people have been exposed to fraud by the perpetrators who communicate with car sellers through websites claiming to specialise in buying and selling cars during official holidays.
The fraudsters, after completing the initial purchase, deposit fake cheques into the accounts of the sellers (the victims) for the amount of the vehicle through the ATM, disguised such that they are not recognised by the bank surveillance cameras.
Caution urged
As soon as the sellers receive a text message from the bank stating that “a cheque has been deposited for the agreed amount and that the deposit process is under collection”, the full sale procedure is completed and the vehicle handed over to the fraudsters. Thus, the vehicle gets stolen.
Sharjah Police urged residents to take due precautions and in case they suspect any fraud, they should call 8002626 or 901.
