Tourist Scams in UAE

The UK Foreign & Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) updated its UAE travel advice on 14 April 2026, advising against all but essential travel due to escalating regional tensions. The Iranian regime has publicly stated its intention to target locations associated with the United States and Israel. Further missile or drone attacks could occur at short notice. While Iranian strikes have decreased in frequency, the FCDO considers the underlying threat level unchanged.

How to avoid: Check the FCDO and US State Department advisory pages before and during travel. Register with your embassy on arrival. Know the location of your nearest shelter — if authorities issue a shelter-in-place order, move immediately to a secure interior room away from windows. Limit movements to essential journeys, travel during daylight where possible, and avoid large crowds.

Unlicensed drivers waiting inside or just outside Abu Dhabi airport arrivals halls offer rides at seemingly competitive prices. These drivers are unregulated and uninsured, and typically demand far more than the official metered rate once the journey is underway.

How to avoid: Use only official Abu Dhabi taxis (cream-colored) from the designated rank outside arrivals, or pre-book via Careem or Uber before landing. Ignore anyone approaching you inside the terminal offering a ride.

Vendors in the Gold Souk and street markets sell items claimed to be 22-karat gold or genuine oud perfume at a special tourist price. The gold is often gold-plated brass and the perfume is a synthetic substitute. Fast transactions and distractions prevent close inspection.

How to avoid: Buy gold only from licensed shops displaying official daily price boards. Check hallmarks carefully. For perfume, use established perfume houses with a reputation to protect. Avoid any deal dramatically below market value.

Unlicensed taxi touts outside Dubai Airport terminal doors offer rides to hotels for fixed prices. These are typically 2–3x metered taxi fares. The legitimate taxi queue is inside the terminal at the designated bay.

How to avoid: Use only RTA metered taxis from the official taxi bay at arrivals. Alternatively, use the Dubai Metro (Red Line from Airport Terminal 1 or 3). Uber and Careem are also reliable options that show prices before booking.

Fraudsters advertise short-term holiday apartments in Downtown Dubai, Dubai Marina, and Palm Jumeirah on Instagram and via WhatsApp, using stolen photographs of real luxury units. They request full payment or a large deposit via bank transfer before handing over keys, then become unreachable on arrival day. Unlike the villa deposit scam targeting long-stay rentals, this scheme targets tourists booking 2–7 night stays and uses peer-to-peer messaging apps to avoid traceable booking platforms.

How to avoid: Book short-term apartments exclusively through established platforms such as Airbnb, Booking.com, or licensed UAE property managers. Never transfer money via bank transfer or cryptocurrency to an individual advertising on Instagram or WhatsApp. Verify the listing exists on a regulated platform before paying anything.

Budget desert safari operators advertise very low base prices online, then pressure tourists during the trip to pay for photography packages, alcoholic beverages, extra food, and entertainment that were implied to be included. The final bill can be double the advertised price.

How to avoid: Book only with DTCM-licensed operators and request a full written breakdown of inclusions before booking. Read TripAdvisor reviews specifically mentioning hidden charges, and pay by card for a clear transaction record.

Restaurants along Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) The Walk and Dubai Marina waterfront hand tourists an attractive picture menu with no prices, then present a bill with inflated charges — often 3–5x what nearby restaurants charge. Some venues also add unlisted cover charges, bread charges, and service fees that were never disclosed. Disputes are handled aggressively and staff may insist payment is mandatory before tourists can leave.

How to avoid: Always ask to see a menu with printed prices before sitting down. Check review platforms for recent pricing complaints before choosing a restaurant in JBR or Marina Walk. If no priced menu is available, leave and choose elsewhere.

Touts outside the Deira Gold Souk direct tourists to specific shops, claiming the shop offers the official gold rate or a special today-only discount. The tout receives a commission from the shop. The shop then adds making fees, certification fees, and packaging fees that are not applied to local buyers, effectively eliminating the claimed discount and making the purchase more expensive than nearby competitors.

How to avoid: Check the live Dubai gold rate on the DMCC official website before entering the souk. The gold spot price is fixed and public. Making fees are where tourists overpay; negotiate these down or walk to the next shop. Ignore all touts outside the entrance gates.