UAE Fake Job Offer Check: Verify a Visa and Report Scams

Quick answer: Do not pay or send sensitive documents just because a UAE job or visa offer looks official. Ask for a verifiable MOHRE job offer, independently confirm the company, and check the entry permit on the correct government portal. Dubai Police renewed its warning on 25 August 2026 after fraudsters used official-looking identities, unlicensed company names, social media and messaging apps to demand money for fake jobs and visas.^[1]

Why this warning matters now

According to the renewed Dubai Police warning reported by The National, scammers have posed as official bodies or used names of unlicensed companies to advertise jobs and visa services for cash. The warning advised people to use official channels and to report suspected fraud through the Dubai Police app, eCrime platform or 901.^[1] The useful response is not to judge a PDF by its design; it is to test every important detail against an independently opened government service.

UAE fake job offer red flags

• An unsolicited offer arrives through WhatsApp, Telegram, social media or a free email account.
• You receive a job without a credible interview or role-specific discussion.
• The salary and benefits are unusually generous while duties remain vague.
• You are asked to pay a “visa deposit”, processing charge, medical fee, insurance fee, training fee or refundable security amount.
• Payment must go to a personal bank account, exchange house, wallet or cryptocurrency address.
• The sender refuses to provide a MOHRE offer reference, company licence details or an official company-domain contact.
• The recruiter says you can start working on a tourist or visit visa.
• You are pressured to decide within hours or warned that a “quota” will disappear.
• The company name, website domain, email domain and payment beneficiary do not match exactly.

Important: One warning sign is a reason to pause, not proof by itself. Verify through official channels before accusing a person or business of fraud.

How to verify a UAE job offer step by step

1. Confirm the offer follows the official employment sequence

The UAE Government describes the private-sector sequence as formal job offer, employment contract, work permit and then work visa.^[2] The offer should clearly identify the job and terms. Keep a copy and compare it with the later contract; do not accept unexplained changes.

2. Verify the MOHRE record

Ask the employer for the offer’s transaction/reference details and company number. Open MOHRE from its official mohre.gov.ae domain yourself—do not follow a recruiter-supplied lookalike link—and use its enquiry services or official support channel. If the record is not found, do not pay or travel. Ask MOHRE whether the application is pending, incomplete or invalid before reaching a conclusion.

3. Check the company’s licence and identity

The UAE Government’s National Economic Register information says users can enquire about economic licences, activities and trade names.^[7] Search both the English and Arabic trade names. Compare the licence holder, activity, emirate and official contact details with the offer. Then contact the company through a number or email found on its genuine website or verified directory—not through the original message.

4. Verify the entry permit or visa

• Dubai-issued permit: use the GDRFA Visa Status service. GDRFA describes it as a way to verify entry/residence permits and related records.^[4]
• Other emirates: use the ICP Smart Services platform. ICP itself warns users to obtain services and information only through official authorised channels.^[5]

A PDF, screenshot or QR code is not enough. The reference must resolve through the relevant authority. If it does not, stop and contact the authority rather than assuming a technical delay or declaring the document fake without confirmation.

5. Never work on a visit or tourist visa

The renewed warning states that a visit or tourist visa does not grant the right to work and that doing so can result in fines and legal liability.^[1] A job-exploration or tourist entry permission is not a work permit.

Who should pay recruitment and visa costs?

The UAE Government’s worker-rights guidance says the employer bears recruitment and travel costs and the expenses of obtaining the worker’s residency permit.^[6] That makes any demand for candidate-paid “recruitment”, “work visa”, “processing” or “security” money a serious stop signal. Do not send payment while someone promises reimbursement after arrival.

If you already sent money or documents

1. Stop contact and further payments. Do not pay a second fee to “release”, “refund” or “verify” the first payment.
2. Call your bank or payment provider immediately. Ask about freezing the recipient, recalling the transfer or blocking the card. Do not assume recovery is guaranteed.
3. Preserve evidence. Save the advert, full chat, email headers, usernames, phone numbers, website URLs, account details, receipts and files. Do not edit screenshots.
4. Protect your accounts. If you shared passwords, OTPs or card details, change credentials from a clean device and contact the relevant bank. If you shared an identity document, tell police exactly what was disclosed.
5. Report through an official channel. Dubai Police provides an official eCrime service for online crime reports.^[3] The renewed warning also listed the Dubai Police app and 901.^[1]
6. Report the fake offer to MOHRE. Use contact details taken directly from the official MOHRE website, not from the suspected recruiter.

Copy-paste verification message

Before I continue, please send the MOHRE-approved job offer reference/transaction number, company number, UAE trade licence number, and the official company-domain email for HR. I will verify the offer, company and entry permit independently through MOHRE, the UAE business register, and GDRFA/ICP. I will not pay recruitment or visa fees to an individual or unofficial intermediary.

Official-link checklist

• MOHRE services — employment and offer enquiries
• UAE National Economic Register information — company and licence checks
• GDRFA Visa Status — Dubai-issued permits
• ICP Smart Services — federal visa and residency services
• Dubai Police eCrime — report suspected cybercrime

Frequently asked questions

How can I check whether a UAE job offer is genuine?

Ask for the MOHRE-approved offer and its identifying details, then verify it through an official MOHRE service or contact MOHRE using contact details from its official website. Also contact the employer through contact details you found independently.

Should a job seeker pay a UAE recruitment or residence-visa fee?

The UAE Government’s worker-rights guidance says recruitment, travel and residency-permit expenses are borne by the employer. A demand that the candidate pay to secure a job is a major warning sign.

Where do I verify a UAE visa or entry permit?

Use GDRFA’s Visa Status service for Dubai-issued permits. Use the ICP Smart Services platform for permits issued in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah or Fujairah.

Can I legally work in the UAE on a tourist or visit visa?

No. A tourist or visit visa does not authorise employment. A proper employment process includes a formal job offer, employment contract, work permit and work visa.

How do I report a suspected Dubai job or visa scam?

Preserve the advert, messages, usernames, phone numbers, links and payment evidence. Report through Dubai Police’s official eCrime service or Dubai Police app; the renewed warning also listed 901.

This is a public-safety explainer, not legal advice. Rules and service interfaces can change; verify the current position on the linked government websites before acting.

Sources

1. Dubai Police issue warning over online visa and job scams
2. Expatriates employment in private sector – UAE Government
3. Dubai Police eCrime
4. GDRFA Dubai
5. ICP UAE
6. Protection of workers rights – UAE Government
7. National Economic Register – UAE Government