(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) The telephone has now become the method of choice for beggars in Dubai, with many now trying to fraudulently extract money from the kind-hearted over the phone, especially during the holy month of Ramadan. But the new technique has not gone unnoticed by the Dubai Police.
Police investigations have revealed that the majority of victims have been targeted by women perpetrators and according to the Director of the General Department of Tourism Security of Dubai Police Colonel Mohammed Rashid bin Saree, the department is pouring every effort into keeping on top of the new tricks and techniques carried out by beggars.
He said there is a real need to catch these criminals, who came purposely during the holy month to make easy cash as they know all Muslims are willing to donate money to needy.
Colonel bin Saree said the department has prepared a form for receiving calls from members of the public who are exposed to this type of fraud, noting that the form includes the data of the caller, including the phone number of the beggar who has contacted them and the language that he/she used.
He added that once the police receives a call from the public on the Dubai Police hotline, a team will immediately start the process of tracking the number of the caller. They will also ask the person who files the complaint if they have any relationship with the beggars and if a case is filed, the victim will become a witness.
He pointed out that women often specialise in this type of fraud as they try to gain the sympathy of the receiver by pretending to be poor, claiming that they are struggling to support their family. In many cases, they often tell their victims that their children suffer from certain diseases and some even pretend to be from a charity organisation collecting donations.
According to the police, the department has seen a hike in this particular type of begging technique and many people have complained saying that when they receive the call, they feel pressured into handing over money, especially on the occasion of Ramadan.
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