How to report a crypto scam in Dubai and the UAE
If you have lost money to a fake crypto investment, trading app or "account recovery" offer, there are two kinds of official channel: the police, for the crime itself, and the financial regulator that covers the firm or the place it claims to operate from. This page lists the channels that UAE authorities name on their own websites, checked on 13 October 2026.
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Quick answer
| Situation | Official channel |
|---|---|
| Any online fraud or cybercrime | Police: the Ministry of Interior eCrimes platform, Dubai Police eCrime, Abu Dhabi Police Aman, or the nearest police station[2][3][4][5] |
| A crypto firm operating in Dubai, outside the DIFC | VARA's complaint and unauthorised-activity form[19][20] |
| A firm in, or using the name of, the DIFC or the DFSA | The DFSA complaints portal[32] |
| Financial services offered in or from ADGM (Abu Dhabi) | The ADGM FSRA complaints form[37] |
| A bank or other financial institution licensed by the Central Bank | Sanadak[14][15] |
| Securities-type services offered without a licence | The Capital Market Authority's warnings and violation-reporting services[26][28] |
Reporting to a regulator does not replace a police report. VARA itself says that a fraud victim's matter may fall outside its remit and that police or consumer-complaint routes may also be relevant.[21]
1. Report the crime to the police
Online fraud is covered by Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021 on Countering Rumours and Cybercrimes, in force since 2 January 2022.[1] The UAE Government portal lists these channels for reporting cybercrimes:
- Ministry of Interior eCrimes platform, available on the MoI UAE app.[2] Official page: moi.gov.ae.
- Dubai Police eCrime website.[3] Dubai Police also says suspected fraud can be reported through the Dubai Police smart app or by calling 901.[6] Official page: dubaipolice.gov.ae.
- Abu Dhabi Police Aman service.[4] A 2021 Abu Dhabi Police notice gave the toll-free number 8002626 (AMAN2626),[11] SMS to 2828, email to [email protected] and the Abu Dhabi Police Smart App.[12] These contact details come from a 2021 notice; check them on the Aman website before use.
- My Safe Society, an app launched by the UAE federal Public Prosecution.[41]
- In person or by phone: the nearest police station, or 999 for help.[5]
The official pages we read do not say whether visitors or people outside the UAE can file through these channels, or which evidence formats the online forms accept.
2. Tell the financial regulator
VARA (Dubai, outside the DIFC)
- VARA's remit covers virtual assets and related services in Dubai, excluding the Dubai International Financial Centre.[19]
- Its complaint form accepts information about unauthorised virtual asset activity, including suspicious activity involving virtual assets.[20]
- If your complaint is about a licensed firm, VARA says to raise it with the company first.[22]
- A VARA consumer alert asks people who know of unlicensed virtual asset activity to email [email protected].[23]
- VARA says anyone can check a firm's status on its public register,[24] and it publishes enforcement outcomes, including 2026 cases about unlicensed activity.[25] Our guide to checking a VARA licence explains how to read the register.
DFSA (DIFC)
- The DFSA asks people with information about a scam carried out in, from or through the DIFC, or using the DIFC or DFSA name, to contact it through its complaints portal.[32]
- It publishes alerts about scams and potentially fraudulent practices,[30] including a "Clone" category for firms or people who impersonate a DFSA-licensed firm or claim its approval.[31]
ADGM FSRA (Abu Dhabi Global Market)
- The FSRA says it is generally the first point of contact for matters about financial services offered in or from ADGM, using its complaints form.[37]
- If you suspect a scam, the FSRA says to report it to the FSRA and to local law enforcement and to keep all records, including screenshots.[36]
- Its regulatory alerts warn about potential misconduct, including unauthorised activity.[38]
Central Bank of the UAE and Sanadak
- The Central Bank directs complaints about a licensed financial institution or insurance company to Sanadak.[14] Sanadak accepts complaints against institutions licensed by the Central Bank,[15] through its website or app.[16]
- Sanadak lists virtual currencies among the products it can help with,[17] but only where the complaint is against a Central Bank-licensed institution. Initial complaints are free for consumers and SMEs.[18]
Capital Market Authority (formerly SCA)
- The Authority publishes warnings about entities that offer services it regulates without a licence.[26]
- Its complaint service for capital market transactions does not accept complaints against unlicensed entities,[27] but any market participant can report practices that breach its rules through a separate violation-reporting service.[28]
We did not find a single official route for complaints about an unlicensed crypto platform that operates outside Dubai and outside the financial free zones. In that case, a police report is the channel the official pages consistently name.
3. Keep the evidence
The authorities ask for records rather than a summary. Their pages mention:
- screenshots and all other records (ADGM FSRA);[36]
- paperwork you received and notes of meetings and conversations (DFSA);[33]
- copies of documents about your dealings with the person or firm (Capital Market Authority);[29]
- the necessary information and documents for a complaint (Sanadak).[16]
For crypto transfers it also helps to note wallet addresses, transaction IDs, website addresses and the names or handles people used. Do not send funds or private keys to anyone who offers to "unlock" or recover your account.
4. Warning signs the authorities describe
- Fake investment and trading schemes spread through digital platforms and social media,[7] promising quick and guaranteed profits[8] and pushing people to transfer money or enter personal and financial details through fake links (Dubai Police, April 2026).[9]
- Untrusted apps, including fake banking and investment apps, used to take over phones and steal data or money (Dubai Police, July 2026).[10]
- Impersonation of a regulator and a licensed firm with fake websites, emails and a false trading platform (DFSA, June 2026).[34] The DFSA says it does not ask investors for advance fees for investments with authorised firms.[35]
- Websites whose addresses closely imitate a regulated firm's site (ADGM FSRA, April 2026).[39]
- Older alerts describe fake investment agreements and requests for identity documents (ADGM FSRA, 2019)[40] and blackmailers asking for payment in digital currency to hide their identity (Abu Dhabi Police, 2021).[13]
What we could not confirm
- Whether people outside the UAE can use the eCrime platforms, 901 or Aman, and in which format.
- Whether [email protected] has fully replaced the older [email protected] address mentioned in an earlier VARA alert.
- How complaints are split when a case involves both a VARA-licensed firm and a Central Bank-licensed bank.
If an authority updates its channels, tell us and we will correct this page. For the rules themselves, see Is crypto legal in Dubai?.