UAE customers complain as banks issue credit cards without proper ID verification

Fraudsters are believed to be using a loophole found in some UAE banks to pose as customers to take out credit cards and accrue debt.

Some banks have allegedly accepted a copy of an Emirates ID, instead of the original, when they issue loans to customers.

Readers told The National they had been scammed through certain UAE banks issuing credit cards upon submitting a replica of their Emirates ID cards, leading to fraudulent applications for credit cards and accruing debt.

What is turbulence and why is it getting worse?

The fraudsters’ motivation in such cases is to obtain copies of people’s identity documents and replicate their Emirates ID at a typing centre. Using the replicated ID card and other documents, they approach banks, some of which do not adequately verify the applicant’s identity and issue credit cards.

The readers did not want to be named as their cases were being investigated by the police.

Sophisticated fraud

“It is getting more and more difficult to protect against this kind of fraud as the perpetrators are getting more and more sophisticated but there are some steps people can take to protect themselves from identity theft and credit card fraud,”

The banks named by the readers were Commercial Bank of Dubai and Emirates Islamic Bank.

A CBD official said: “We take the security and integrity of our credit card issuance process very seriously. CBD is committed to ensuring compliance with the regulations set forth by the Central Bank of the UAE. We have identity checks in place and ensure that we continually review and enhance our processes to safeguard our customers and their financial well-being.”