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Trust & Safety

Avoiding Property Scams

Spot and avoid common real estate scams.

Updated: September 2026 6 min read

To avoid property scams in Dubai, never pay a deposit or fee before you have seen the property, checked the broker's licence and confirmed the owner's title deed with the Dubai Land Department (DLD). Most scams rely on a listing that is too cheap, pressure to pay quickly, and a payment to someone who has no right to receive it. Here are the common scams and the free official checks that stop them.

The most common property scams in Dubai

  • Fake rental listings: a flat in a popular area at a rent far below market, with a request for a booking deposit, documentation fee or goodwill payment before any viewing. Dubai Police's Anti-Fraud Centre warned about this pattern in March 2026.
  • Copied photos and impersonation: scammers reuse photos from genuine listings and pose as landlords or as staff of agencies that don't exist.
  • Unlicensed brokers: someone who is not on the DLD's brokers register takes a deposit or commission and disappears. Only licensed, registered brokers may broker property in Dubai.
  • Selling what they don't own: a 'seller' or 'landlord' who has no title to the property, or who has already sold or let it.
  • Fake DLD messages: emails, SMS or WhatsApp messages that claim to be from the DLD and ask for payment. The DLD warns about fake payment requests and fraudulent property ads using its name.
  • Off-plan payments outside escrow: a request to pay instalments for an off-plan unit into any account other than the project's escrow account.

Check the broker before anything else

Under Bylaw No. 85 of 2006, nobody may work as a real estate broker in Dubai unless licensed and entered in the DLD's register. Registered brokers get a card with their name and registration number (BRN), and the number must appear in their correspondence. Search the name, office, mobile number or office registration number (ORN) on the DLD's Licensed Real Estate Brokers list or in the Dubai REST app. If the details don't match the person you are dealing with, stop.

Check the listing

  • Every real estate ad in Dubai needs a permit from the DLD's Trakheesi system, and the permit number must be shown.
  • Since April 2023, ads carry a Madmoun QR code. Scan it: it shows the approved ad, the advertising company, and whether the property has already been sold or rented.
  • No permit number or QR code, or a code that shows a different property or company, is a reason to walk away.
  • Compare the price with DLD registered transactions and rents for the building. A price far below them is the most common bait.

Check the owner and the title deed

Ask for the title deed number and year and check them with the DLD's free Verify Title Deed service on its website, which can also confirm the owner's name against the property. For a sale, the seller's broker must enter valid title deed details to create the Form A listing agreement in the DLD system, so a genuine broker will have them. For a rental, ask to see the landlord's title deed and ID, or the broker's written authority from the landlord.

How to pay safely

  • Don't pay anything before you have viewed the property in person and checked the broker and owner.
  • Never pay cash, and never pay into an individual's personal account because they ask you to.
  • Pay against a written contract on the DLD's standard forms, and get a receipt for every payment.
  • Off-plan: pay only into the project's escrow account, which you can confirm in the Dubai REST app.
  • Resale: pay the price at the DLD trustee office on transfer day, not beforehand. Our safe transactions guide explains each step.

Red flags

  • The owner is 'abroad' and can only be reached through the person asking for money.
  • You are told to decide today because other people are waiting.
  • Payment is requested by link, gift card, cryptocurrency or transfer to a personal account.
  • The broker won't give you a BRN or won't put terms in writing.
  • A message 'from the DLD' asks you to pay through a link.

If you think you've been targeted

Stop paying and keep every message, receipt and ad. Report fraud to Dubai Police through the Dubai Police app, the e-Crime platform or by calling 901. Report unlicensed brokers, misleading ads and cold calls to the DLD through its complaint service on the website or Dubai REST (within six months; contract disputes and compensation claims go elsewhere). Messages falsely using the DLD's name can be reported to the DLD's security team through the contact details on its Cyber Security Awareness page. You can also warn others on RealtyReview.ae's Scam Watchlist.

Frequently asked questions

How can I tell if a Dubai rental listing is fake?

Be wary of a flat in a popular area at a rent far below market, with a request for a deposit or fee before any viewing. Every ad needs a Trakheesi permit number, and its Madmoun QR code shows the approved ad, the advertising company and whether the property is already sold or rented.

How do I check if a real estate agent in Dubai is licensed?

Search the broker's name, office, mobile number or office registration number (ORN) on the DLD's Licensed Real Estate Brokers list or in the Dubai REST app. Registered brokers carry a card with their registration number (BRN). If the details don't match the person you are dealing with, stop.

Is a payment request from the DLD by SMS or WhatsApp genuine?

Treat it as a red flag. Scammers send emails, SMS and WhatsApp messages claiming to be from the DLD and asking for payment, and the DLD warns about fake payment requests in its name. Such messages can be reported to the DLD's security team.

Where do I report a property scam in Dubai?

Report fraud to Dubai Police through the Dubai Police app, the e-Crime platform or by calling 901. Report unlicensed brokers and misleading ads to the DLD's complaint service within six months, and keep every message, receipt and ad.

Sources

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