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The ruling by the Abu Dhabi Family, Civil and Administrative Court came after the worker used his position to pretend he owned the shop and accepted payment from an unsuspecting buyer. Emirates 24|7 reported that the defendant took the AED20,000 but did not fulfill the transaction, leading to a criminal fraud conviction. The civil court found the criminal judgment sufficient to establish the debt and ordered immediate repayment along with legal costs. The decision reflects standard procedure in such cases where prior criminal findings bind the civil proceedings.
The victim transferred the funds after the worker, an employee at the establishment, presented himself as the proprietor in order to complete the sale. According to the Emirates 24|7 account, the worker then avoided further contact, prompting the victim to pursue both criminal and civil action. Court records showed no evidence of delivery or refund, solidifying the claim for restitution.
Under UAE Civil Transactions Law, as applied by the court, no one may retain another’s property without legal basis, requiring full return of the sum. The publication noted that the court dismissed any defense offered by the defendant due to lack of supporting documentation. This legal framework has been used in numerous similar fraud cases across Abu Dhabi courts in recent years.
A Gulf News review of a related 2025 case involving an Instagram gold shop impersonator showed the court ordering repayment of Dh11,000 following a criminal fine of Dh20,000. Such precedents demonstrate the judiciary’s approach to protecting consumers from deceptive trade practices. The Ministry of Interior has highlighted impersonation as a common tactic in consumer fraud.
UAE-led Operation Confrontation Ghost, which concluded in September 2026, identified more than $39 billion in fraud-linked assets and led to 960 arrests across 30 countries, the Ministry of Interior announced. The operation thwarted over 123 million online scam attempts, many involving false representations to obtain funds. This international effort illustrates the scale of the problem that individual court cases like the Abu Dhabi ruling address on a daily basis.
The worker’s failure to appear at the civil hearing further weakened his position, leading to a default judgment in the victim’s favor. Emirates 24|7 said the court awarded no additional compensation beyond the principal amount and fees in this instance. The full judgment is now enforceable immediately.
