Major General Saif Al Zari Al Shamsi, Commander-in-Chief of Sharjah Police, unveiled details of ‘Operation 173.’ He announced the arrest of two key gang members, both of whom were involved in electronic financial crimes. Out of the five gang members, two Africans have been apprehended, one remains at large in the UAE, and two Asians are currently outside the country.
According to a Gulf News report, the police recovered 173 counterfeit bank cards used to withdraw over Dh3 million from ATMs. Brigadier Omar Abu Al Zoud, Director General of the Criminal and Investigation Department at Sharjah Police, reported additional seizures, including 132 chequebooks used in scams, 21 smartphones, 18 Emirates ID cards belonging to expatriate fraud victims, and six forged company stamps. The fraudulent withdrawals amounted to Dh3,011,854 from 11 unidentified accounts. Additionally, Dh95,320 in cash was found during the raid.
The operation began after a report from an Arab individual working in a licensed company in the country. The expat had received a fraudulent email from a supposed supplier requesting a bank data update. After complying, he discovered he had transferred Dh85,713.52 to a fictitious company’s bank account.
A team of cybercrime experts was formed to verify the fraud and apprehend the perpetrators. Through a technical audit, it was revealed that the email was fake, designed to deceive victims by altering one letter in the address. The investigation traced the movement of the money and identified an African expat who had withdrawn Dh20,000. He was arrested at his home along with others involved, confirming their connection to an electronic fraud network.
Further investigations revealed that the gang had purchased 173 bank accounts from their original owners who had left the country. These accounts were managed by the electronic criminal network, which transferred money to mislead authorities.
Sharjah Police, in cooperation with relevant authorities, monitored all banking movements, determined the criminal methods used, and uncovered that the victims’ personal data had been exploited for electronic fraud.
