Two held for duping couple of Dh35,000
SUSPECTS FACE TRIAL FOR RENT CONTRACT FORGERY — PROSECUTERS
Legal and Court Correspondent
Two Asians have been referred to court for swindling a married couple out of Dh35,000 by renting them a flat using a forged contract. The husband had read an online advertisement promoting a flat for rent in a new building in a residential area in Dubai and called up the advertiser, said a media statement yesterday.
Once the husband called the advertiser, one of the Asian suspects replied and invited him over to check the flat.
“Shortly after he checked a number of flats, the husband was told by the suspect that he works for the realty office that had advertised the flat, to rent a unit for Dh70,000. The man claimed during interrogations that the rent was supposed to cover the unit and a parking spot in the building ... then he claimed that he was handed the keys and a swipe card for the parking entrance.
“Then he said that he paid up front Dh35,000 to the suspect, whom he had spoken to over the phone. On the day when he moved into the building along with his wife, the parking card did not function and failed to open the entrance,” said Chief Prosecutor Fahd Abdul Aziz Al Zarouni, Head of Deira Prosecution, in the media statement yesterday.
Senior Prosecutor Khalid Al Mutawa, who interrogated the suspects, stated that the husband had met with the first suspect and his accomplice, who had posed as the flat owner and showed the title deed, prior to signing the contract and giving them the upfront payment.
According to the statement, once the parking entrance didn’t open, the husband went ■
He [husband] said that he paid up front Dh35,000 to the suspect, whom he had spoken to over the phone.On the day when he moved in to the building along with his wife, the parking card did not function and failed to open the entrance.”
Chief Prosecutor Fahd Abdul Aziz Al Zarouni | Head of Deira Prosecution
up to the flat before he discovered that the keys didn’t open the door as well.
“The husband couldn’t reach the suspects as their mobiles were switched off. Realising that he had been swindled and deceived, the husband reported the matter to the police. Police investigations revealed that a number of swindling complaints had been reported earlier. The two suspects were arrested and during questioning it was discovered that the flat papers and rent contracts had been forged.
“The Asian suspects admitted during questioning that they had swindled the married couple and taken their money using the forged papers,” according to Al Mutawa, who said the suspects will be prosecuted for forgery, swindling and deception before the Dubai Court of First Instance.
It was not clear how the suspects were arrested.
Meanwhile Chief Prosecutor Al Zarouni called on the public to double-check the authenticity of rent contracts and be attentive while dealing with realty brokers while stressing the importance of dealing with listed and accredited brokers to avoid being duped and swindled.