How to Report Cybercrime in the UAE and Prepare Your Evidence

Which official reporting channel should you use

The channel you should use depends on where the crime happened and the type of report. In acute emergencies that threaten personal safety, call 999 directly.

How to submit a cybercrime report step by step

The right to report cybercrime is based on Article 38 of the Criminal Procedure Law issued by Federal Decree-Law No. 38 of 2022. You must follow a set of steps in order. Start by dealing with immediate and financial risks. Contact the bank right away to freeze cards and wallets if there is any fraudulent transaction. Then preserve the original recordings and evidence. Keep all messages, emails, and screenshots without editing or deleting them. These messages and electronic data are digital evidence with probative value under Article 1 of Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021.

After that, move to the next step and open the appropriate official service. Note that the registration requirements differ between services. Then describe the incident and attach the evidence. Give a factual, direct account of what happened. You are not required to classify the crime yourself. Note that some crimes, including insult and defamation, are only prosecuted on a complaint from the victim. The complaint is not accepted after three months from the day the victim learns of the crime and the offender, under Article 11 of the Criminal Procedure Law.

What digital evidence should you preserve

Under Article 65 of Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021, evidence derived or extracted from devices, equipment, electronic media, the information system, computer programs, or any information technology means has the same weight as physical evidence in criminal proof. To protect digital evidence and its approved legal weight, you must organize it precisely so it cannot be challenged.

Organizing this evidence includes preparing a timeline showing the date and time of events, and keeping the original emails, usernames, and page links. You must also keep contact data and documents, such as phone numbers, media files, and bank transfer receipts, and provide the personal identity data required by the reporting service you chose. Keep the report submission notice. Distinguish between the initial reference number for the request and the criminal case number later issued by the Public Prosecution.

What happens after you submit the report?

The last step is to submit the request and save the confirmation. Get the initial reference number and keep it to follow up on the report. After that, follow up with the relevant authority by responding to the approved authorities when they ask for more information.

Understanding reference numbers and legal assistance

The reference number is just an electronic notice confirming your request was received and is under police review. The criminal case number is only issued after the police verify the incident and officially transfer the file to the Public Prosecution. You need a lawyer in two cases. First, if you are summoned for investigation as a defendant, not a victim. Second, if you are a victim and want to draft a civil rights claim, to ensure you get all the complex financial compensation before the court.

Financial loss and compensation

Your first step is to contact the bank immediately to freeze the account and attempt to reverse the transaction, and then file a cybercrime report. Electronic fraud is punishable under Article (40) of Federal Decree-Law No. (34) of 2021 by imprisonment of not less than one year and/or a fine of between AED 250,000 and AED 1,000,000. Upon conviction, the court also orders the confiscation of the proceeds of the crime, without prejudice to the rights of bona fide third parties (Article 56).

To recover your money and claim compensation, you may file a civil claim against the accused during the evidence-gathering stage, during the investigation, or before the criminal court at any stage until the pleadings are closed; such a claim is not accepted for the first time at the appeal stage, and is subject to payment of court fees (Article 23 of Federal Decree-Law No. (38) of 2022 on Criminal Procedures). Or, you may file a separate civil claim before the civil court. However, if criminal proceedings for the same act have been filed before or during the civil claim, the civil court must stay its decision until a final (bat) judgment is issued in the criminal case; the stay does not prevent urgent precautionary measures, such as a precautionary attachment over the offender’s assets (Article 29). The criminal court may also refer the civil claim to the competent civil court if deciding the compensation requires a special investigation that would delay the criminal case (Article 27), and you may withdraw your civil claim from the criminal court and refile it before the civil court (Article 28).

Penalties for electronic fraud

Anyone thinking of committing such crimes should be warned. Under Article 40 of Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021, the penalty for electronic fraud is imprisonment for not less than one year and a fine of not less than 250,000 dirhams and not more than 1,000,000 dirhams, or either of these two penalties. This penalty applies to anyone who takes, for themselves or another, movable property, a benefit, or a document or the signature of that document, without right, by using any fraudulent method or by using a false name or impersonating a false identity through the information network, an electronic information system, or an information technology means.

Organising the material for your report

Use this table to organise your questions. It is a preparation aid, not a determination of your legal position.

Preparing for a cybercrime consultation

For an initial discussion, gather the following where available. This is a consultation preparation list, not an exhaustive court or filing checklist.

Questions about reporting and digital evidence

Legal sources and relevant provisions

The official sources below identify the legislation discussed in this article. Read the relevant provisions together with their scope, exceptions and amendments.