Impostor lawyers rob clients of millions

Legal professionals warn of conmen who hang around court buildings offering services to the unsuspecting.

Lawyer Huda Al Falamarzy says there are so many impostors around. Reem Mohammed / The National

ABU DHABI // Conmen posing as lawyers are touting for business outside court buildings and duping unwary clients into paying for their services.

Legitimate law firms believe victims have paid out millions of dirhams in fees to unqualified impostors, and some may even have been jailed or deported as a result of relying on worthless “legal advice”.

The fraudsters, smartly dressed in suits or kanduras, target “people who are new to the country, don’t speak the language and are unaware of the law”, said one Emirati lawyer.

“They will offer help and ask for Dh1,000, for example, or any amount of money to help ease a transaction, like a marriage certificate or a driving licence. Many will convince their victims to sign a fake power of attorney.

“These people are not licensed and have caused problems for many residents. They have damaged the reputation of lawyers and the country.”

One impostor, a Syrian, tells prospective clients he is the legal representative of “all the foreign embassies”.

Six law firms have filed cases against him and one is demanding Dh2 million in compensation.

“There are many of these sort of people in the country. They must be arrested and deported because they pose a risk to national security,” said Abdel Hamid Shahhata, a legal consultant at one of the firms, Ali Al Sallani Advocates.

“They have not only committed a fraud but have trespassed on the UAE’s judicial system. They use forged signatures and stamps. They must be deported permanently – blacklisted.”

One fraudster had stolen “millions”, Mr Shahhata said. “He convinced one westerner to sell his villa in Dubai to pay him.”

Court officials have recently tightened security by insisting that anyone who enters a courtroom wears an identity badge.

In response, the conmen loiter around the entrance to the court and, if challenged, say they are “waiting for a friend”.

Some fraudsters hold law degrees or certificates from their home countries. But by law, only Emirati licensed lawyers are allowed to argue cases in court.

Impostors get round that by asking legitimate lawyers to represent them in court.

Huda Al Falamarzy, a partner at Mohammed Al Hashimi Advocates, is approached at least three times a month by people claiming to be lawyers and who turn out to be impostors. This happens “a lot, a lot, a lot”, she said.

“Since they are unlicensed and not Emirati, they claim to be representatives of a law firm and ask me to present the case.

“There are so many of them in and outside the courts. I have received so many cases from residents who were cheated by them but there is nothing we can do about it, because many times they have no receipts and all the information the lawyer gave them is fake.”

Ms Al Falamarzy is representing a French expatriate who paid Dh200,000 to a conman after he claimed to be a lawyer and offered to help the victim with a case.

Another victim, an Austrian expatriate, spent eight months in prison after being fooled by an impostor.

“These people know all the gaps in the law and have many connections. They are very dangerous,” Ms Al Falamarzy said.

Justice Dr Jamal Alsumaiti, director general of the Dubai Judicial Institute, advised anyone dealing with legal issues to check the authenticity of all documents.

“Anyone who is presented with a power of attorney must at least call the notary public and check its validity,” Dr Alsumaiti said. “The Ministry of Justice also has a directory of all the licensed lawyers. Papers alone are never proof enough, you must check their validity through official and registered departments.”

He encouraged residents to contact authorities if approached by anyone claiming to act as a legal representative.

Dubai courts also offer a service through which registered and certified lawyers provide free legal consultations.

“So there is no need to resort to these people,” a lawyer said.