Romance Blackmail Scams in Dubai & UAE
Sextortion and romance fraud targeting expatriates in the UAE, where cultural and legal sensitivities amplify victims' fear of exposure.
Part of: Romance Blackmail Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Romance blackmail — where a scammer builds a fake romantic relationship, obtains intimate images or information, then threatens to expose the victim — is particularly damaging in the UAE. The country's laws around consensual adult content shared privately can be misunderstood, and scammers exploit victims' fear of legal consequences to maximise compliance.
Expatriates, who make up around 89 percent of the UAE population, are especially targeted because scammers assume they have more to lose professionally and socially if compromising material is sent to employers or family back home.
How this scam works on Dubai & UAE
Scammers create attractive profiles on dating apps, Instagram, or Facebook, quickly pushing conversation to WhatsApp or a video call. During a video chat, pre-recorded footage of an attractive person is used while the scammer captures screenshots of the victim. These images are then used as leverage for payment.
In a UAE-specific variant, scammers claim to be Emirati citizens who will report the victim to local authorities for immoral conduct unless payment is made in cryptocurrency or through a hawala transfer. The threat is often legally unfounded but causes genuine panic.
Some operations run from call-centre setups outside the UAE, farming contact lists of expats and cycling through hundreds of targets per week.
Common red flags
- New contact quickly redirects to video calls and steers conversation toward intimate topics
- Profile was created recently with few personal posts or tagged friends
- Demand for cryptocurrency or cash transfer to avoid 'legal trouble in the UAE'
- Threat to send images to your employer or LinkedIn connections
- Caller claims to be an Emirati national or police officer to amplify fear
- Pressure to pay immediately before you can seek advice
How to protect yourself
- Never share intimate images or personal information with someone you have not met in person
- If targeted, do not pay — payment rarely ends the extortion and often increases demands
- Screenshot and preserve all communications before blocking the scammer
- Seek legal advice from a UAE-registered lawyer before assuming any UAE law applies
- Alert your employer's security or HR team discreetly so they can be aware if contacted
- Contact the Victims of Crime Support Unit operated by Dubai Police
How to report it
- Report to Dubai Police via ecrime.ae or the Dubai Police app; select cyber crime category
- Contact the UAE Cybercrime Hotline on 8008 ADPOLICE (8008 237652) in Abu Dhabi
- Submit a report to the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) at tdra.gov.ae
Frequently asked questions
Will Dubai Police act on a sextortion report even if the scammer is overseas?
Yes. Dubai Police cyber-crime unit has international cooperation agreements and regularly works with Interpol. Filing a report creates an official record and can assist with platform takedowns even when the perpetrator is abroad.