Dubai Police issued a warning about unscrupulous maid recruitment agents after many lost the thousands of dirhams they handed over as hiring fees.
Fraudsters posed as recruitment agents on the internet and fleeced people of Dh9,000 to Dh13,000 with a promise to fly in a maid from abroad despite the travel restrictions.
Officials at Al Rashidiya Police Station received 14 reports about people falling prey to such cyber criminals.
The demand for housemaids has gone up during the pandemic as more people stay home to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
After several such cases were reported, Dubai Police set up a special task force and arrested the suspects.
"These fraudsters fleeced Dh87,520 from the victims from the beginning of the pandemic until February 2021. They promised many people to bring housemaids to the UAE even when airports were shut down in different parts of the world," said Brig Saeed Hamad Al Malik, director of Al Rashidiya Police Station.
“One case was of a family that was looking to hire three maids and transferred Dh35,000 to a fraudster. He disappeared after getting the money.
“Legal action was taken against all of them."
He said fake recruiters forge contracts under the name of a registered labour recruitment agency.
Brig Al Malik urged people to go through official channels and bring maids into the country legally.
Munawar Hamza, 50, from Jordan said she was about to pay Dh10,000 to a fake agent to get a housemaid.
“I posted on Facebook because I wanted a maid who was already inside the country but wishing to change sponsors. I didn’t expect I might fall victim to a fraudster,” she said.
Ms Hamza said a woman who claimed to work for a recruitment agency reached out to her and promised to recruit a maid for a lower fee.
“I was told official agencies charge around Dh18,000 but the fake agent said it would only cost me Dh10,000,” she said.
But the recruiter stopped taking Ms Hamza’s calls when she wanted to meet the maid.
In January, Nasser Al Hamli, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, told members of the Federal National Council that the UAE would shut all non-government maid-hiring agencies by March to better protect the rights of workers and employers.
He said citizens and residents would have to hire domestic workers from Tadbeer, a network of service centres.
Mr Al Hamli said 250 private recruitment agencies had been shut down and “the remaining 10 offices will be closed in March”.
Tadbeer recruitment offices were set up by the ministry in 2018 and there are 54 nationwide.
Mr Al Hamli said it was the responsibility of Tadbeer offices to hire workers from abroad.
The ministry has not renewed the licences of private companies since 2017 and has fined 99 agencies that continued to operate after their permits were suspended.
But officials said that agencies in free zones would not be affected by the decision. It is not known how many agencies trade in such zones, nor whether companies would be allowed to relocate there.
Day 4, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Lahiru Gamage appeared to have been hard done by when he had his dismissal of Sami Aslam chalked off for a no-ball. Replays suggested he had not overstepped. No matter. Two balls later, the exact same combination – Gamage the bowler and Kusal Mendis at second slip – combined again to send Aslam back.
Stat of the day Haris Sohail took three wickets for one run in the only over he bowled, to end the Sri Lanka second innings in a hurry. That was as many as he had managed in total in his 10-year, 58-match first-class career to date. It was also the first time a bowler had taken three wickets having bowled just one over in an innings in Tests.
The verdict Just 119 more and with five wickets remaining seems like a perfectly attainable target for Pakistan. Factor in the fact the pitch is worn, is turning prodigiously, and that Sri Lanka’s seam bowlers have also been finding the strip to their liking, it is apparent the task is still a tough one. Still, though, thanks to Asad Shafiq and Sarfraz Ahmed, it is possible.
The specs: 2018 BMW R nineT Scrambler
Price, base / as tested Dh57,000
Engine 1,170cc air/oil-cooled flat twin four-stroke engine
Transmission Six-speed gearbox
Power 110hp) @ 7,750rpm
Torque 116Nm @ 6,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 5.3L / 100km
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if you go
The flights Fly Dubai, Air Arabia, Emirates, Etihad, and Royal Jordanian all offer direct, three-and-a-half-hour flights from the UAE to the Jordanian capital Amman. Alternatively, from June Fly Dubai will offer a new direct service from Dubai to Aqaba in the south of the country. See the airlines’ respective sites for varying prices or search on reliable price-comparison site Skyscanner.
The trip
Jamie Lafferty was a guest of the Jordan Tourist Board. For more information on adventure tourism in Jordan see Visit Jordan. A number of new and established tour companies offer the chance to go caving, rock-climbing, canyoning, and mountaineering in Jordan. Prices vary depending on how many activities you want to do and how many days you plan to stay in the country. Among the leaders are Terhaal, who offer a two-day canyoning trip from Dh845 per person. If you really want to push your limits, contact the Stronger Team. For a more trek-focused trip, KE Adventure offers an eight-day trip from Dh5,300 per person.
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South Africa squad
Faf du Plessis (captain), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper), Theunis de Bruyn, AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen (wicketkeeper), Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
HOW TO WATCH
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more from Janine di Giovanni
More from our neighbourhood series:
The Matrix Resurrections
Director: Lana Wachowski
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jessica Henwick
Rating:****
ODI FIXTURE SCHEDULE
First ODI, October 22
Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Second ODI, October 25
Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune
Third ODI, October 29
Venue TBC
Results
Stage Two:
1. Mark Cavendish (GBR) QuickStep-AlphaVinyl 04:20:45
2. Jasper Philipsen (BEL) Alpecin-Fenix
3. Pascal Ackermann (GER) UAE Team Emirates
4. Olav Kooij (NED) Jumbo-Visma
5. Arnaud Demare (FRA) Groupama-FDJ
General Classification:
1. Jasper Philipsen (BEL) Alpecin-Fenix 09:03:03
2. Dmitry Strakhov (RUS) Gazprom-Rusvelo 00:00:04
3. Mark Cavendish (GBR) QuickStep-AlphaVinyl 00:00:06
4. Sam Bennett (IRL) Bora-Hansgrohe 00:00:10
5. Pascal Ackermann (GER) UAE Team Emirates 00:00:12
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
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