An Indian software engineer duped by fraudsters promising a dream job with Emirates airline is emerging from two years of turmoil to make a fresh start in the UAE, thanks to the country's visa amnesty campaign.
Abhijeet Ahire, 31, has been living illegally in the UAE since June 2022, when a fake company in Mumbai offered him what he believed to be a legitimate role with the Dubai airline, only to swindle his family out of Dh24,000 ($6,500), leaving him with a mountain of debt he saw no way of climbing out of.
At the start of the amnesty programme last month, Mr Ahire headed to Dubai’s Al Awir centre intending to request an exit pass to return to his home country and put his bitter experience behind him.
His fortunes turned, however, after he received an employment offer from the LuLu Exchange Group, who were among the companies interviewing people with expired visas.
All of my family came to the airport to see me off when I left for Dubai, how could I tell them there was no job
Abhijeet Ahire,
software programmer and victim of a job scam
“Coming to Dubai and working for Emirates was my dream but I got caught in a very terrible situation,” Mr Ahire told The National in an interview at the Al Awir amnesty centre.
“I had lost all hope and was in complete depression. I’m so thankful for this job from LuLu Exchange and for the UAE government because this new opportunity will save my family from financial ruin. I can stand up, I can start my new journey of life because of the amnesty.”
The two-month amnesty initiative ends on October 31 and gives people on expired residency and tourist visas the chance to return home or remain in the UAE if they find employment without paying overstay fines.
Second chance
Mr Ahire, a native of Nashik, a town in western India, had been working as a computer programmer for more than five years. In 2021 he received an email from a company claiming to be part of the Emirates Group, announcing interviews at a Mumbai hotel for software engineers.
After four rounds of interviews, he was sent an offer letter promising a Dh13,000 monthly wage. When the scammers asked for Dh24,000 towards training, processing an employment visa and stay in Dubai, his father paid up from his pension savings.
Mr Ahire arrived in Dubai on a visit visa on the assurance that it would soon be converted into an employment visa.
Along with several others, he was tasked to complete software projects in an office in the Bur Dubai area and was told he would get a consolidated three-month salary after the training was completed.
“It all looked genuine to me. But one day when I went into work, everything had vanished, the office was shut, there was nothing there and none of the seniors were answering their phones,” he said.
He finally told his parents about his situation and his father sent him Dh800 every month. He spent half the amount on rent for a bed in a room he shared with nine men and spent the remaining Dh400 on food and transport.
“My parents are the reason for my survival,” he said. “I would go to a park, sit alone and cry. There were suicidal thoughts in my mind. But my father and mother stood by me. My father would call and tell me to be patient, he was my backbone. My mother gave me strength. I thought if I did anything wrong what would happen to my family, they needed me and that thought kept me going.”
He continued to live in Dubai, as he could not afford to pay overstay visa fines that had crossed Dh24,000, and hoped to land a job to earn back some of the money lost, but was always asked for an Emirates identity card.
Beware of fake companies
The Indian Consulate and companies in the UAE have repeatedly warned people against searching for jobs on visit visas and cautioned that firms would not ask candidates to pay to secure a position.
Asked about Mr Ahire’s case, a spokeswoman from Emirates asked The National to highlight an online statement on recruitment fraud that the company hoped would educate people.
“Any job offer, seemingly from the Emirates Group, that asks you for money is fraudulent,” the Emirates statement says.
“It has come to our attention that various people and organisations unrelated to the Emirates Group are sending emails or otherwise contacting individuals offering fraudulent employment opportunities in the Emirates Group.
“The Emirates Group will never ask for money transfers or payment of any kind from job applicants and will never ask for advance payment from you towards travel expenses or visas/work permits if your application is successful. Never transfer funds, handover cash or provide your bank account or credit card details as part of a job application.”
Indian consulate officials and human resources professionals too have told Mr Ahire the offer letter was fake.
New beginning
Mr Ahire is among several people with expired visas from across Africa and Asia who have secured jobs with LuLu Exchange in the software and customer service departments.
“We firmly believe in the potential of these individuals to actively participate in and drive the ongoing development of this great nation and we are happy to be the channel through which they can do that,” said Adeeb Ahamed, managing director of LuLu Financial Holdings. “The visa amnesty programme not only reinforces the multicultural fabric of the UAE but also serves as a beacon of hope, offering individuals a second chance to rebuild their lives.”
Technology firms, construction and maintenance companies and restaurant chains have set up recruitment desks at the Al Aweer amnesty centre, to recruit eligible people keen to remain in the UAE.
“We have a huge number of people who are changing their status because they got a new job. We know that today everyone wants to stay in the UAE so if you find an opportunity to get a job that’s good,” said Lt Col Salem Bin Ali, director General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs customer happiness department.
“It has been good to help these people, to see that smile on their faces. But we advise if you cannot find a job, please leave the country, there is no ban, you can come back, you are most welcome anytime.”
For Mr Ahire, he can finally take care of his family.
“I have a good education but I still got fooled. It’s not just me, there are many people like me who are here facing similar issues,” he said. “When I got a call from LuLu Exchange, I was so thankful to them and to the UAE government because I have completely lost everything.
“I will work so hard because the government has given me such an opportunity to remove all my fines in amnesty. It seriously is a great initiative, no nation does this for defaulters with companies giving you a chance of jobs and new visas.”
Company profile
Date started: January, 2014
Founders: Mike Dawson, Varuna Singh, and Benita Rowe
Based: Dubai
Sector: Education technology
Size: Five employees
Investment: $100,000 from the ExpoLive Innovation Grant programme in 2018 and an initial $30,000 pre-seed investment from the Turn8 Accelerator in 2014. Most of the projects are government funded.
Partners/incubators: Turn8 Accelerator; In5 Innovation Centre; Expo Live Innovation Impact Grant Programme; Dubai Future Accelerators; FHI 360; VSO and Consult and Coach for a Cause (C3)
'Avengers: Infinity War'
Dir: The Russo Brothers
Starring: Chris Evans, Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Robert Downey Junior, Scarlett Johansson, Elizabeth Olsen
Four stars
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed
Based: Muscat
Launch year: 2018
Number of employees: 40
Sector: Online food delivery
Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception
DIVINE%20INTERVENTOIN
%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Elia%20Suleiman%2C%20Manal%20Khader%2C%20Amer%20Daher%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Elia%20Suleiman%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%204.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
World Cricket League Division 2
In Windhoek, Namibia - Top two teams qualify for the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, which starts on March 4.
UAE fixtures
Thursday February 8, v Kenya; Friday February 9, v Canada; Sunday February 11, v Nepal; Monday February 12, v Oman; Wednesday February 14, v Namibia; Thursday February 15, final
Why your domicile status is important
Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.
Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born.
UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.
A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Russia's Muslim Heartlands
Dominic Rubin, Oxford
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
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THE BIO
Favourite place to go to in the UAE: The desert sand dunes, just after some rain
Who inspires you: Anybody with new and smart ideas, challenging questions, an open mind and a positive attitude
Where would you like to retire: Most probably in my home country, Hungary, but with frequent returns to the UAE
Favorite book: A book by Transilvanian author, Albert Wass, entitled ‘Sword and Reap’ (Kard es Kasza) - not really known internationally
Favourite subjects in school: Mathematics and science
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
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Profile box
Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
Current staff: 12
Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
The Uefa Awards winners
Uefa Men's Player of the Year: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Uefa Women's Player of the Year: Lucy Bronze (Lyon)
Best players of the 2018/19 Uefa Champions League
Goalkeeper: Alisson (Liverpool)
Defender: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Midfielder: Frenkie de Jong (Ajax)
Forward: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Uefa President's Award: Eric Cantona
What is Reform?
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
more from Janine di Giovanni
The biog
Favourite pet: cats. She has two: Eva and Bito
Favourite city: Cape Town, South Africa
Hobby: Running. "I like to think I’m artsy but I’m not".
Favourite move: Romantic comedies, specifically Return to me. "I cry every time".
Favourite spot in Abu Dhabi: Saadiyat beach
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One in nine do not have enough to eat
Created in 1961, the World Food Programme is pledged to fight hunger worldwide as well as providing emergency food assistance in a crisis.
One of the organisation’s goals is the Zero Hunger Pledge, adopted by the international community in 2015 as one of the 17 Sustainable Goals for Sustainable Development, to end world hunger by 2030.
The WFP, a branch of the United Nations, is funded by voluntary donations from governments, businesses and private donations.
Almost two thirds of its operations currently take place in conflict zones, where it is calculated that people are more than three times likely to suffer from malnutrition than in peaceful countries.
It is currently estimated that one in nine people globally do not have enough to eat.
On any one day, the WFP estimates that it has 5,000 lorries, 20 ships and 70 aircraft on the move.
Outside emergencies, the WFP provides school meals to up to 25 million children in 63 countries, while working with communities to improve nutrition. Where possible, it buys supplies from developing countries to cut down transport cost and boost local economies.
