Police in Ajman warned of a rise in takeaway fraud in the emirate. Getty
Police in Ajman warned of a rise in takeaway fraud in the emirate. Getty
Police in Ajman warned of a rise in takeaway fraud in the emirate. Getty
Police in Ajman warned of a rise in takeaway fraud in the emirate. Getty

Ajman Police issue warning over fast-food fraudsters as pandemic prompts rise in takeaway scams


Salam Al Amir
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  • Arabic

Police in Ajman urged the public not to fall prey to fast-food fraudsters setting up fake restaurant websites.

The force sent out a warning that cyber criminals were advertising meal deals on social media using the names of established eateries in the emirate to lure victims into supplying their card details.

Customers trying to place orders were directed to web pages that they believed to belong to bona fide restaurants and asked to make payments by card.

The thieves then stole their money.

Ajman police said scammers set up fake restaurant websites to defraud customers. Courtesy: Ajman Police
Ajman police said scammers set up fake restaurant websites to defraud customers. Courtesy: Ajman Police

Offenders have sought to exploit rising internet use during the coronavirus pandemic.

Ajman Police reported a trend of fake government websites being used to catch out members of the public.

They said many of the fraudsters were based abroad.

New safety restrictions introduced at restaurants in Ajman led many restaurateurs to shift their focus from in-person dining to deliveries.

Last month, the emirate’s emergency, crisis and disaster management team ordered restaurants and cafes to close by 11pm to reduce coronavirus infections.

Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, head of cyber security for the UAE government, said in December that cyber attacks had soared since the onset of the outbreak as more people went online for work, shopping and socialising.

“With the digital transformation happening across all sectors in the UAE, attacks will increase, but so too will the adoption of protective measures,” he said during the Gitex technology conference in Dubai.

“Phishing campaigns are one of the major threats we see here in the UAE, alongside the use of ransomware.

“These attacks increased with the dawn of the remote-working situation.”

Skewed figures

In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458. 

What the law says

Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.

“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.

“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”

If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.

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ELIO

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Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina

Rating: 4/5

What can you do?

Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses

Seek professional advice from a legal expert

You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor

You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline

In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support

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