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28 March 2024

Fraudsters used Emirates airline like daily shuttle

Published
By Eman Al Baik

The Dubai Police have likely busted a criminal network that targeted Emirates airlines, using credit card fraud to book tickets.

Five men, all from Pakistan, allegedly booked and sold tickets of Emirates airline using credit cards that belonged to residents in the USA and Australia, causing the carrier to lose Dh130,426.

The Dubai Prosecution accused ASM, 22, salesman; MAN, 34, partner; SMM, 47, visitor; MAA, 34, partner; and MAK, 36, salesman for fraudulent electronic booking and reservation of 43 tickets on Emirates, on or before May 19.

The men used the tickets to fly to and from Pakistan on an almost daily basis.

Police officials involved with the investigation said that one of the accused confessed to being part of a criminal network specialising in booking air tickets using credit cards of other people.

The five are also accused of using the air tickets with their knowledge of the transaction being fraudulent, by submitting them to an employee of the Emirates.

The Prosecution also accused them of swindling the carrier of Dh130,426 - the value of the air tickets - that ASM and MAN used to travel between Dubai and Karachi.

Ali Rida, 37, Iranian, Safety and Security officer with Emirates, testified that the accused bought air tickets using credit cards that belonged to residents of the US and Australia.

They also called the Emirates Communication Centre to book tickets on the Dubai-Karachi route.

Forty-three tickets were used between Dubai and Karachi.

“In most of the cases they left in the morning and returned the same day evening. The carrier lost Dh130,426,” he testified.
The carrier received complaints from different banks and the issue was investigated.

The police then set a trap for the accused.

Corporal Abdullah Obaid testified: “One of the accused, MAN, expressed a readiness to issue me air tickets for a very good price. He actually issued me five air tickets which were deposited with the Force’ Economic Crimes Department,” he testified.

Major Khalid Aref testified that he then arrested four of the accused, and ASM who confessed to travelling more than 20 times on Emirates, claimed he worked for MAA.

The police also confiscated a number of computers and mobile phones.

All accused have denied the accusation and the court adjourned the case until October 16.