A Pakistani accountant living in the UAE has sounded the alarm after a fraudster cloned his Facebook identity and tricked one of his friends into sending money.
Zubair Awan, 38, who has lived in the Emirates for more than a decade, began receiving unusual messages from friends over the weekend. They asked about a new Facebook account under his name, sparking suspicion that something was amiss.
The fake account, bearing a slightly misspelled version of his name, was used to contact his friends. The impersonator claimed that Awan was stranded at an immigration checkpoint and needed urgent financial assistance.
To make the scam appear credible, the fraudster shared a blurred photo of alleged immigration officers questioning someone. Several of Awan’s friends grew suspicious and contacted him directly through WhatsApp to confirm the story.
“When I received six or seven inquiries, I realised it was a fake account. Unfortunately, before I could warn everyone, my friend had already sent money,” Awan told Khaleej Times.
His friend, Madiha Mushtaq, later revealed that she had been manipulated into believing Awan was in serious trouble. The fraudster first reached her on Facebook, before asking to continue the conversation on WhatsApp.
“The scammer sent me pictures of Zubair sitting in what looked like an immigration office, being questioned by police,” Mushtaq explained. “I panicked and sent money immediately, thinking his career was at risk. He exploited my emotions.”
Mushtaq admitted she did not verify the authenticity of the account before transferring the funds. She has since filed a case in Pakistan to try to recover her losses, calling the experience a “hard but valuable lesson.”
Experts say such impersonation scams are becoming more frequent in the UAE, where social media use is among the highest in the world.
Agam Chaudhary, founder and CEO of digital firm Two99, warned that scammers deliberately duplicate accounts to exploit trust. “Fraudsters often copy profiles to trick friends and family into sending money. Awareness is the first line of defence,” he said.
Chaudhary urged residents to be cautious with duplicate friend requests and to avoid sharing excessive personal information online. He also advised verifying urgent money requests through direct phone calls or official communication channels.
“Scammers thrive on trust and urgency,” Chaudhary added. “Never transfer funds based on a social media message, no matter how convincing it looks. Always confirm through reliable means.”
Authorities and cybersecurity experts encourage victims to report suspicious accounts immediately to prevent further harm. The incident serves as a reminder of the rising threat of impersonation scams and the need for vigilance in an increasingly digital world.