Scams Hit UAE Residents Every Three Days on Average, New Research Finds

The Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA), in partnership with Trend Micro, has released new research on the State of Scams in the United Arab Emirates, highlighting the scale, frequency, and impact of scams across the country. Based on a study of 1,000 UAE residents, the findings reflect a digital environment where strong efforts are being made to protect consumers by both the government, police as well as commercial sector, yet where scams continue to pose a persistent and evolving challenge.

Against this backdrop, seven in ten UAE residents report having encountered a scam, with the average individual experiencing one scam encounter every three days. This equates to approximately 111 scam encounters per person per year. More than half of residents say they have experienced a scam in the past 12 months, and among those affected, each victim was scammed an average of 2.8 times during the year. 

This high frequency is also reflected in the types of scams residents encounter. Shopping scams are the most common in the UAE, affecting 70 percent of scam victims, followed by investment scams at 67 percent and unexpected money scams at 66 percent. As a result, one in three UAE residents report losing money to scams in the last year, with incidents occurring through a range of digital and communication channels. Among those who lost money, nearly nine in ten reported the scam to their payment service provider, and half were able to recover at least part of their losses. 

While financial loss is a key concern, the volume of scam encounters also affects how residents interact with reporting systems. Scam encounters remain frequent, with one in ten UAE residents encountering scams multiple times a day. Although 79 percent of those who experienced a scam reported at least one incident, each reporting an average of 4.6 scam encounters in the past year, outcomes are not always clear. Half of those who reported a scam said that either no action was taken or they were unsure of the outcome, highlighting the importance of continued efforts to strengthen follow up processes and improve transparency around reporting outcomes. The most common reason for not reporting a scam was the absence of financial loss, cited by 52 percent of respondents. 

Beyond reporting and financial impact, scams also take a toll on wellbeing. Two thirds of scam victims in the UAE reported feeling very or somewhat stressed during the experience, and over half said the incident had a significant or moderate impact on their mental wellbeing. These findings underline the broader consequences of scams on quality of life, confidence, and emotional resilience. 

At the same time, residents are not passive in the face of these threats. In response to rising scam activity, 96 percent of UAE residents report taking at least one step to verify whether an offer is legitimate. Common actions include checking whether an email address comes from a free email provider and searching for reviews on external websites. These behaviors reflect strong awareness, shaped by ongoing national efforts to strengthen consumer protection. However, as scam tactics become increasingly sophisticated and AI driven, additional measures are required to keep pace with emerging threats. 

This growing awareness is also reflected in public expectations around accountability. UAE citizens believe their government and law enforcement are primarily responsible for protecting them from scams. The work of these two entities is also evaluated very positively by citizens. When asked about appropriate penalties for scammers, UAE residents most frequently cited full repayment to victims as the preferred consequence. At the same time, a portion of respondents support harsher punishments, including prison sentences of one to five years, pointing to rising expectations for deterrence and effective enforcement. 

“Online scams have unfortunately become a persistent part of consumers’ digital experiences, not only in the UAE but worldwide,” said Frank Kuo, Chief Consumer Business Officer at Trend Micro. “As scammers increasingly employ AI to create more personalized and persuasive scams, a greater focus on prevention has never been more paramount.  This requires not only stronger collaboration between public and private entities but also AI-powered solutions that protect consumers and empower them to navigate an increasingly complex digital world with confidence.”

“While the UAE government continues to take strong action to protect residents from scams and awareness levels are high, scams continue to succeed as criminals adapt faster than individual consumers can. This shows that awareness alone is not enough and reinforces the need for stronger collaboration between platforms, financial institutions, and authorities to reduce exposure and limit harm,” added Jorij Abraham, Managing Director of the Global Anti-Scam Alliance. 

Taken together, the findings show that scams in the United Arab Emirates are frequent and costly, with lasting financial, emotional, and behavioral impacts. At the same time, they highlight a strong foundation of awareness and engagement that can be built upon through improved prevention tools, clearer reporting pathways, and continued collaboration across financial institutions, technology platforms, and authorities to further protect consumers. 

The full report can be accessed here: https://www.gasa.org/research 

About GASA

The Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) is a non profit organization whose mission is to protect consumers worldwide from scams. GASA brings together policymakers, law enforcement, consumer authorities, NGOs, the financial sector, telecom operators, internet platforms, service providers, and cybersecurity organizations to share insights and knowledge. Learn more at https://www.gasa.org. 

About Trend Micro

Trend Micro, a global cybersecurity leader, helps make the world safe for exchanging digital information between people, governments, and enterprises. Trend leverages decades of security expertise and the power of AI to protect more than 500,000 enterprises and millions of individuals worldwide. As a leader in consumer cybersecurity and the fight against scams, Trend delivers industry first and award winning products to protect millions of consumers from modern online threats. With 7,000 employees across 70 countries, Trend Micro enables organizations to simplify and secure their connected world. Learn more at www.trendmicro.com. 

For media inquiries, interviews, or access to the full dataset, please contact: 

Metje van der Meer Marketing Director metje.vandermeer@gasa.org