Two men convicted of electronic fraud have been ordered by the Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court to return AED 5,000 they illegally withdrew from a young man’s bank account, plus an additional AED 2,000 in compensation for the financial and emotional distress he endured.
According to a report from Gulf News, the case stemmed from a deceptive online promotion offering a discounted chicken nuggets meal from a popular restaurant. The victim was instructed to pay AED 11 through a link provided by the supposed sellers. Once he clicked the link, a total of AED 5,000 was siphoned from his account.
The two fraudsters had already been convicted by a criminal court, which sentenced them to three months in prison, fined them AED 20,000 each, and ordered their deportation. Following this, the victim pursued a civil case to recover the stolen amount and seek damages.
In its ruling, the civil court cited the UAE’s Civil Transactions Law, stressing that no one has the right to take another person’s money without legal justification. The judges ruled that the men’s actions caused both financial loss and psychological harm, warranting compensation.
The court ordered the defendants to pay the victim a total of AED 7,000, in addition to covering court costs and legal fees.
