Guide · updated 08.09.2026 · 10 min read · Lucent Legal team

How to Report Cybercrime in the UAE: eCrime, Aman, and 999

Your account got hacked, someone phished money out of you, or you're being blackmailed online, and the first question is blunt: who do you call? If it's live, 999. If it already happened, the Dubai Police eCrime portal, the AD Police app in Abu Dhabi, or the federal MoI UAE platform.

What counts as cybercrime under UAE law

Law No. 34/2021 covers hacking accounts, online fraud, identity theft, online blackmail, malware, and defamation or insults online. That last one is the charge expats hit most often, and it has its own guide: insults in a chat in the UAE.

Penalties track the offense. Hacking government systems draws AED 200,000–500,000 and prison; cyber fraud that moves stolen money draws at least a year in prison plus AED 250,000–1,000,000. The list isn't exhaustive, and the charge needs a lawyer's read.

Where to report: channels by emirate

There's no single national cybercrime hotline — you get parallel systems, one per emirate plus a federal layer:

• Dubai — the eCrime portal (dubaipolice.gov.ae) and the same service in the Dubai Police app. The main route for hacking, phishing, and data theft, anonymously if needed.
• Abu Dhabi — the AD Police app/website (adpolice.gov.ae). A filing section where you attach evidence and get a case number.
• Federal — MoI UAE eCrimes, inside the Ministry of Interior app. It spans all emirates.
• Your nearest police station — for mixed cases, or when filing in person is easier.

Dial 999 when it's live: money leaving your account right now, a direct threat. Dial 901 in Dubai to talk it through before filing.

For 2026 scam patterns, see Scammed in Dubai? How to Report Fraud; for the mechanics of any Dubai Police report, see How to File a Police Report in Dubai.

Aman in Abu Dhabi: an important clarification

Aman is not the channel for a formal Abu Dhabi cybercrime case, despite what many guides claim. The service's own official FAQ (adpolice.gov.ae) says it plainly: Aman is a line for anonymous tips (security intelligence), not a system for registering a criminal complaint. The tip reaches the relevant authority, but you get no open case with a number and a status. Reach it by phone 800 2626, SMS 2828, or email [email protected], 24/7.

Want a real report with a case number? Use the "Report Cybercrime" section in the AD Police app, or go to a station.

What evidence to collect

The fuller your evidence package on day one, the faster the review. Bring:

1. Screenshots of every message — the full chat: profiles, phone numbers, links.
2. The financial trail — transfer confirmations, transaction IDs, dates, the recipient's account details.
3. Technical artifacts — email headers, links, screenshots of suspicious sites before they vanish.
4. Identity documents — your Emirates ID or passport, plus anything on the suspect.
5. A timeline — a short, time-stamped account of what happened.

Filed a report and heard nothing: timelines and where to go next

Filing a second time speeds up nothing — you get a second reference, not priority. What works: a number, a status check, and showing up in person.

Timelines. Dubai's eCrime confirms receipt within 3–7 business days, according to legal guides. For Abu Dhabi, unofficial sources put the AD Police equivalent at 7–10 business days, a figure the police portal doesn't confirm. No mandatory response deadline for complainants appears in public sources; law firms describe an initial investigation as several weeks. A week of silence is not a refusal.

How to check status. Filing gives you a reference number. Then:

1. Dubai Police — the website or app, criminal case inquiry. Accepts Emirates ID, passport number, or the report reference.
2. Dubai Public Prosecution (dxbpp.gov.ae) — once the file moves to prosecution. Search by police report or criminal case number.
3. ADJD Estafser for Abu Dhabi; the Ministry of Justice portal for the remaining emirates.

An inquiry number and a case number differ: the first is temporary, the second appears after formal registration. For what each status means, see how to check whether you have been sued in the UAE.

Escalation. Going to the station with your reference number is the fastest way to learn who handles the file. Calling 901 in Dubai gets you the stage. Dubai Police's confidential Al Ameen line (800 4444) takes cybercrime and blackmail reports anonymously, but gives no case status — neither does Aman.

If no offense is found, the file is closed: no suspect, no jurisdiction, or the dispute is civil. That does not block a civil claim for the same loss. If the money left through a card or an account and the bank refuses to reverse it, complain to the bank in writing and then, free of charge, to the Central Bank ombudsman — see complaint against a bank through Sanadak.

Your Emirates ID was forged: how to report it

Report it in two places, and do it even if you lost no money.

1. The police. eCrime, the Dubai Police app, or your nearest station. Attach the bank's letter showing where the forged document surfaced, copies of your genuine Emirates ID and passport, and your correspondence with the bank. Keep the reference number.
2. ICP, which issues the Emirates ID. Call centre 600 522 222, the UAEICP app, the complaints platform at cc.icp.gov.ae, or a Customer Happiness Centre. The call centre runs 7:30 to 15:30.
3. The bank. Put in writing that the application wasn't yours; attach the police reference.

Why report with no loss: the case number is your date. If a loan or a SIM is opened on your document six months from now, you show a report filed earlier instead of arguing. Under Article 14 of Law No. 34/2021, forging electronic government documents carries prison and AED 150,000–750,000; for other entities' documents, AED 100,000–300,000. Knowingly using a forgery draws the same penalty. For replacing the card, see Emirates ID: issuing, renewal, fines.

Topic: UAE Fraud & Cybercrime 2026

This material is for information only and is not legal advice. UAE law changes — a lawyer will assess how it applies to your situation.