A man who posed as a bank employee has been ordered by the Abu Dhabi Civil Family and Administrative Court to return Dh24,500 he unlawfully withdrew from another person’s bank account. The scammer convinced the victim to share his card details and PIN, after which he obtained the victim’s card details and one-time password through repeated requests and used them to withdraw the full amount. The victim later filed a civil claim seeking repayment and additional compensation for material and emotional damages. In its ruling, the court cited provisions of the Civil Transactions Law, noting that no one may take another person’s property without lawful cause, and that any unlawfully taken amount must be returned. The defendant neither attended the hearings nor provided proof of repayment. On the claim for compensation, the court said civil liability requires proof of fault, harm, and causation—all of which were established, as the defendant’s actions unlawfully deprived the plaintiff of his funds. While the victim did not submit evidence of additional financial losses, the court found sufficient grounds to award Dh3,000 for moral damages. The court ordered the defendant to repay Dh24,500, pay 3 percent interest from the date of the claim until full settlement, cover court fees and costs, and provide Dh3,000 in compensation. The court also referenced a prior criminal judgment confirming the defendant’s guilt, supported by police investigations showing he was the direct beneficiary of the funds.
