Cybercriminal networks are exploiting geopolitical tensions in West Asia to target people with fraudulent investment offers linked to property and gold deals in Dubai. Investigators say scammers are promoting fake high-discount deals and convincing victims to pay advance booking amounts before disappearing.
Authorities monitoring cybercrime activities say the fraud is mainly spreading through social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, X, WhatsApp and Telegram. Victims are contacted with attractive offers and urged to immediately transfer booking amounts to secure the deal.
Officials say the surge in such scams is linked to the ongoing conflict in West Asia involving the United States and Israel against Iran. The conflict has disrupted flight operations across parts of the Gulf and Middle East, including Dubai, which has also affected trade activities and smuggling routes.
Dubai has traditionally been a major source for gold smuggling networks. With such operations disrupted due to flight restrictions and security concerns, cybercriminal groups are now turning to online scams to exploit potential victims.
Sources monitoring these activities said scammers are targeting wealthy and upper-middle-class individuals in India by advertising discounted property deals in Dubai. In several cases, victims were promised properties worth around Rs 3 crore, but were asked to pay Rs 3 lakh or more as a booking amount, claiming that the offer was valid only for 1 day.
Cybercrime lawyer Pankaj Bafna warned that these scams are not limited to financial losses but can also affect the economic environment. “The criminals have started using social media as the best tool to spread unrest and try to collapse economies of various countries,” Bafna said.
He added that cybercriminals are increasingly using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create deepfake videos and manipulated images to make their scams appear credible. “As people nowadays believe social media circulation as a ‘Word of God’, the criminals are targeting them through the same tool,” he said.
According to Bafna, several cyber offences are involved in these activities, including fake news, impersonation, cheating, cyber terrorism, misinformation and hacking.
The lawyer said he recently helped 2 clients avoid financial losses after they approached him before transferring booking amounts for Dubai property deals.
Investigators also revealed that scammers pose as Dubai-based gold traders offering bullion at steep discounts. They claim the conflict has disrupted flights and caused shipments to remain stranded in a major trading hub. Fraudsters then encourage victims to reserve gold by paying advance amounts through fake websites and social media accounts posing as jewellers.
Victims usually realise the fraud only after the criminals suddenly disappear with the money.
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