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29 March 2024

Fraudster buys iPhone in another man’s name

Published
By Eman Al Baik

Claiming to be bank employee, a Pakistani resident of the UAE took personal documents from a salesman to enable him to open a bank account but instead used them to buy an iPhone and an Etisalat SIM card, the Dubai Criminal Court heard.
 
The victim KB, 23, Pakistani, was shocked when he was informed by Etisalat that he had to pay Dh7,000.
 
“When I enquired about the amount, I was told that I had purchased iPhone6. Checking the application which was processed through an Etisalat marketing company, I found out that it carried a signature different from mine. Etisalat staff advised me to lodge a complaint with the police which I did,” testified the victim.
 
Police asked the victim if he gave his documents to anybody and he told them that he had given photocopies of his passport, Emirates ID and salary certificate to a compatriot bank employee.
 
“Two months earlier, I had asked my employer MS to help me open a bank account in the UAE since I did not know the procedures.
 
“The employer’s brother, who heard that conversation, called another person who introduced me to a bank employee called Arslan, which proved to be a fake name.
 
“I met ‘Arslan’ in my work place in Naif area in the presence of my employer and supplied him with photocopies of my passport, ID card, labour contract and a salary certificate,” said the victim.

Two weeks later, Arslan returned the documents and claimed that he could not open a bank account.
 
Two months later, the victim discovered that the documents were used by Arslan for purchasing an iPhone 6 with an accumulated bill of Dh7,000.
 
MS, 36, businessman, repeated corporative testimony.
 
MK, 25, salesman in the marketing company, had processed the application.
 
MK admitted that he gave the application form to AS who returned it to him filled up and signed.
 
“AS gave me the documents and asked me to get him a mobile phone and a SIM card that I sent by post,” MK said, denying any knowledge that it was a fraud.
 
AS is accused of forgery and MK of  criminal complicity.

The court will reconvene on April 4.