Property fraud in Dubai operates through a predictable set of schemes: forged title deeds, double-selling the same unit to multiple buyers, listings from unregistered agents, and off-plan payments routed outside mandatory escrow accounts. Dubai Land Department's own enforcement data confirm the scale — in the first half of 2024, DLD's Real Estate Control Department conducted 450 field inspection tours, completed 1,530 advertisement inspections, and fined 256 brokers for non-compliance (DLD press release, July 2024). Buyers who work through official verification channels before committing any funds eliminate the vast majority of these risks at zero or minimal cost.
The single most reliable fraud-prevention step is to validate title deed through Dubai Land Department's official system before signing any purchase agreement. DLD's Title Deed Verification service, accessible at dubailand.gov.ae, allows any buyer to confirm that a presented deed is authentic and matches the registered ownership record. In practice, discrepancies between what a seller claims and what the DLD registry shows emerge regularly — unregistered encumbrances, undisclosed mortgages, or names that simply don't match. Running this check costs nothing and takes minutes via the Dubai REST app.
For buyers purchasing property with the additional objective of long-term residency, understanding the link between registered ownership and immigration entitlement adds another verification layer. The ICP specifies that a qualifying Dubai property visa at the Golden Visa tier requires a minimum property value of AED 2 million confirmed by the Real Estate Registration Department — meaning the property must be both genuinely owned and correctly valued according to official records (ICP Golden Residency guidelines). Fraud or inflated valuations on a purchased property can disqualify an investor from visa eligibility entirely, compounding financial loss with immigration consequences.
Dubai's fraud landscape concentrates around four documented schemes that buyers encounter in both the ready and off-plan markets. Understanding each one makes the verification steps below directly actionable rather than abstract precautions.
Fake Listings and Phantom Properties remain the most frequently reported form. Fraudsters duplicate legitimate property listings from authorized portals, replace the contact information, and collect deposits for units that are not available or do not exist. In June 2024, Dubai Police arrested a person operating an online rental scam using precisely this method. The tell is consistent: the listing appears on social media or unofficial channels rather than registered platforms, and the agent requests payment before allowing a physical property inspection.
Title Forgery and Double Selling are higher-value schemes that target ready properties. A documented 2019 case on Palm Jumeirah involved nine individuals forging ownership signatures and impersonating a property owner using a decoy — the fraudulent sale of two luxury plots for AED 27 million to an investor who only discovered the deception when DLD flagged the discrepancy. Double selling involves a seller executing separate sales agreements for the same unit to multiple buyers, often in rapid succession. Both schemes are defeated by a DLD title deed check before any payment is made.
Unregistered Brokers present a risk distinct from property fraud but with equivalent financial consequences. Every legitimate broker operating in Dubai must hold a RERA broker ID registered through the Trakheesi system. In August 2024, RERA's fine for fake property listings reached AED 50,000 per violation, with repeat infractions incurring double that penalty. Agents operating without RERA registration cannot provide legal recourse if a transaction fails, and they frequently disappear once a deposit is collected.
Off-Plan Payment Fraud targets the significant share of Dubai transactions that involve units under construction. The mechanism: fraudsters — or occasionally non-compliant developers — request payments into personal accounts or unregistered corporate accounts rather than the RERA-mandated project escrow account. Law No. 8 of 2007 explicitly requires every developer selling off-plan units to open a dedicated escrow account with a DLD-approved bank before accepting any buyer funds. Payments outside that framework strip buyers of the legal protections the escrow system provides.
Dubai Land Department's Trakheesi system maintains a live database of every licensed real estate practitioner and brokerage in Dubai. Any buyer can check a broker's current license status, associated brokerage office, and classification level (gold, silver, bronze, or general) at dubailand.gov.ae or through the Dubai REST app. The RERA database includes the agent's photo alongside their license number, so impersonation of a specific licensed broker is also catchable. Broker renewal requires annual continuing education certification and a card renewal fee of AED 520 according to DLD guidelines — agents whose license has lapsed will not appear as active in the system. Never proceed with a broker who refuses to provide their RERA broker ID for verification.
All developers selling property in Dubai — ready or off-plan — must be registered in DLD's Register of Real Estate Developers. This registration requirement is established under Law No. 8 of 2007, and no developer may advertise or sell off-plan units without written authorization from DLD. Buyers can verify developer registration status through the Dubai REST app under "Licensed Real Estate Developers." For off-plan projects specifically, RERA's database also lists the project's escrow account details: the bank name, branch, and account number assigned to that specific development. Confirm these details before transferring any installment payment. Additionally, Law No. 9 of 2007 mandates that developers deposit at least 20% of a project's construction cost upfront as a cash reserve or bank guarantee before marketing begins (BSA Law, August 2025).
Every legitimate property advertisement in Dubai must carry a RERA-issued permit and a scannable QR code. DLD's Madmoun service allows buyers to scan that QR code and instantly verify that the advertisement is approved, that its content matches the permit authorizations, and that the listing agent is registered. DLD's July 2024 enforcement results demonstrated why this matters: 1,530 advertisement inspections in six months found widespread non-compliance, with missing or unreadable QR codes among the leading violations. Any listing that lacks a scannable, valid Madmoun QR code should be treated as unverified regardless of where it appears.
Under Law No. 8 of 2007, every off-plan project in Dubai must maintain a dedicated, project-specific escrow account with a bank approved by RERA. Buyer payments are deposited directly into this account — not the developer's general corporate account — and disbursements to the developer occur only after a certified engineer verifies completed construction milestones. RERA audits escrow accounts and can call for site inspections when reported progress does not match fund withdrawals. When serious breaches occur, RERA can freeze withdrawals, impose fines, or suspend the project entirely; in documented cases, licenses have been revoked and developments reassigned to new management (Knightsbridge, November 2025).
Article 14 of the Escrow Account Law further requires that 5% of total escrow funds be retained for one year after project completion, functioning as a warranty reserve for post-handover defects. For buyers, the practical verification step is straightforward: before signing any off-plan sales purchase agreement (SPA), request the project's escrow account number from the developer and cross-check it against RERA's database through the Dubai REST app. If the account number is not listed, or if the developer requests payment to any other account, treat this as a compliance breach and contact DLD before proceeding. All off-plan sales must also be registered through the Oqood system — Law No. 13 of 2008 established this interim property register, and an unregistered SPA is unenforceable under Dubai law.
Use this checklist before transferring funds or signing a binding agreement. Each step corresponds to an official DLD or ICP resource.
When a buyer encounters suspected fraud — mismatched documentation, payment requests outside escrow, or broker credentials that do not verify — the appropriate response is to report through official channels before taking any further transaction steps. DLD introduced the Real Estate Violation System (RVS) in 2015 to enable reporting and resolution of property violations. Complaints can be submitted through the Dubai REST app under Services → Fines & Violations, or directly at the DLD customer happiness center. RERA has enforcement powers that include license revocation, developer suspension, and escalation to Dubai Police for criminal fraud. Buyers who have already transferred funds to non-escrow accounts, or who hold a forged title deed, should engage a UAE-qualified property lawyer immediately — DLD provides a list of accredited real estate consultancies on its official portal.
Use Dubai Land Department's Title Deed Verification service at dubailand.gov.ae, or open the Dubai REST app, select your property, and access Electronic Title Deed under Property Services. The check confirms ownership identity, registered encumbrances, and document authenticity against DLD's central registry. This service is free and takes minutes to complete.
Payments made outside the RERA-mandated project escrow account are not protected under Law No. 8 of 2007. The developer's creditors can seize general corporate funds, but escrowed funds are ring-fenced from third-party claims. Paying outside escrow also gives DLD grounds to investigate the developer for a compliance breach — report any such request to DLD's Real Estate Control Department before transferring funds.
Search the broker's name or RERA broker ID through the Trakheesi portal at trakheesi.dubailand.gov.ae or the Dubai REST app under "Licensed Real Estate Brokers." Results show current license status, brokerage classification, and associated office. The database entry includes the broker's photo, which allows visual confirmation that the person you are dealing with matches the registered identity.
No. The ICP Golden Residency for real estate investors requires a letter from the Real Estate Registration Department confirming mortgage-free ownership of property valued at AED 2 million or more. A title deed with unresolved discrepancies, encumbrances, or incorrect ownership details will not satisfy this requirement. Resolve any DLD registry issues before applying for the Golden Visa entry permit through ICP.
Madmoun is DLD's property advertisement verification service. Scanning the QR code printed on a RERA-permitted advertisement confirms that the ad is officially approved, that its content matches the authorization data, and that the listing agent holds a current RERA license. Any advertisement without a valid, scannable Madmoun QR code should not be trusted regardless of the platform on which it appears.
File an immediate complaint through DLD's Real Estate Violation System (RVS) via the Dubai REST app or in person at a DLD customer happiness center. Request a property status inquiry through dubailand.gov.ae to see whether multiple sale agreements are registered against the same unit. Engage a UAE property lawyer to apply for precautionary measures, including a DLD transaction freeze on the property, before pursuing legal action at the relevant courts.
No. RERA banned unsolicited direct telemarketing and cold calling in the real estate sector. In April 2022, RERA fined a brokerage AED 50,000 and suspended nine brokers for cold-calling violations. Unsolicited contact from agents representing high-pressure investment opportunities — especially off-plan projects with limited-time offers — should be treated as a red flag and the agent's credentials should be verified through Trakheesi before any engagement.
Under Law No. 8 of 2007, if RERA orders project cancellation due to construction failure, the escrow agent must refund all deposited buyer funds from the ring-fenced account. RERA's cancellation procedures may also involve transferring the project to a new developer to complete construction. Buyers holding Oqood-registered SPAs have enforceable rights to refunds from the escrow balance. The Dubai Courts' specialized real estate tribunal established under Decree No. 33 of 2020 handles stalled and cancelled project disputes.
