Red flags to spot property scam in Dubai

Finding property may have been made easier considering the technological advances. Unfortunately, it has also opened up a world of opportunities for scammers and people are increasingly falling victim to property fraud. It has occurred especially during times of high rental demand.

Dubai Land Department warned of publishing false or misleading ads in Dubai or violators could get a fine of AED 50,000. 

If you ever get stumbled upon scams online in the Dubai property market, here are a few red flags to keep an eye out for:

The price seems too good to be true

Be wary of vague online advertisements. If online listings for attractive properties sounds too good to be true – whether exceptionally well or low priced for specific areas - it probably is. Do some research before taking action.

The agent is not legit

In Dubai, the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) has a list of approved real estate brokers. Deal with only RERA-approved agents. All working real estate agents in Dubai have ‘Brokers Cards’ so ask to see it before dealing with them.

Do not make advance payments for booking a unit and never hand over money without receiving a receipt. Use only cheques as it can be traced in case of fraud. Only top real estate agencies in Dubai are trustworthy and employee up-to-date staff, who understand the market inside and out. 

Ejari mandatory

After signing the lease, the lease will be registered at the Dubai Land Department via Ejari’s website. When you register, you’re legalizing your contract with the government. If your agent doesn’t mention this or discourages this in any way, then this a major red flag to be aware of.

The seller asks you to wire money

Another red flag is when the seller asks you to “wire money”. If that’s the case, especially when you've never met the person, then you should walk the other way. A lot of the scams tend to occur with wiring of funds because it’s much more difficult to trace and enables the scammer to collect the money sooner.

Copy-and-pasted listings

Scammers duplicate listings of available properties online and repost it as a rental, with their own personal contact details. Look for the same listing on different real estate agency sites and compare.

View property before paying

Before anything, don’t make any payments upfront or sign a contract without inspecting the property first. It’s highly advised to view the property and meet face-to-face with agents to guarantee that the listing is legitimate.

Once the landlord and the inspect the property, they then agree on how much deposit should be returned.

Residents and homebuyers are being protected from being defrauded by Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA) as they regularly check for these false and misleading ads across social media, online websites and different media genres.

At fäm, we have over 160 reliable and professional real estate agents who are all available to help you find your next home across Dubai.  

To know more about real estate scam and how to avoid it, click here.



  •  Szabó Árpád    Replied to: Dinesh Eraman

    (0) (0)
    Maybe you have forgotton to pay the installments..? 🤔
  •  De    Replied to: Szabó Árpád

    (0) (0)
    Yourll are birds of a feather
  •  Dinesh Eraman   

    (0) (0)
    I have been scammed for 200000AED from Damac. They are just ignoring me and stole my money. They have deregisterd my property as of I had and have no say. When they wanted my money they will hop skip and jump.

Leave a Comment

Leave a comment

Subscribe to fäm Properties

Subscribe to fäm Properties

Subscribe to stay up to date with the latest market news.

Featured Posts

  • Tenant’s Rights: Can a Landlord Increase Your Rent in Dubai?


    62k
  • The Hidden Cost of Buying a Property in Dubai


    60k
  • Title Deed Verification in Dubai: Ensuring Property Ownership Authenticity


    45k
  • Mega-Projects: These 11 Man-made Islands In Dubai Will Surely Blow Your Mind


    42k
  • Top 10 Best Places to Live in Dubai


    39k