A Dubai misdemeanours court has sentenced a European woman to one month in jail after convicting her of using another person’s bank card without permission to obtain money.
The charges were brought under the UAE’s Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021 on Combating Rumours and Cybercrimes, which criminalises the unauthorised use of credit cards, debit cards, electronic payment methods, or their data to obtain money, property or services without the owner’s consent.
Court records show that the woman deliberately accessed and used payment card data belonging to another person to carry out unauthorised financial transactions for her own benefit.
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The court found the evidence sufficient to establish that the transactions were carried out without the knowledge or authorisation of the cardholder.
In its ruling, the court sentenced the defendant to one month in jail, imposed a fine of Dh18,750, equivalent to the amount she unlawfully obtained, ordered the confiscation of her mobile phone used in the offence, and directed that she be deported from the UAE after serving her prison sentence.
The judgement reflects the UAE’s strict approach to combating electronic payment fraud and protecting consumers from financial crimes committed through digital payment systems.
Authorities have repeatedly urged residents never to share their bank card details, PIN numbers or one-time passwords (OTPs) with anyone, regardless of the reason.
They also advise customers to notify their banks immediately if they detect suspicious transactions or believe their payment information has been compromised.
Banks, meanwhile, encourage customers to activate instant transaction alerts, review account activity regularly, use secure payment platforms and avoid storing sensitive financial information on unsecured devices or websites.
With digital and contactless payments becoming increasingly common across the UAE, officials continue to stress the importance of safeguarding personal financial information to reduce the risk of electronic fraud and identity theft.
The latest ruling serves as a reminder that the unauthorised use of another person’s payment card or electronic payment data is treated as a serious criminal offence under UAE law and can result in imprisonment, financial penalties and deportation for expatriate offenders.