Jail, fine or both: Dubai Police warn against electronic begging during Ramadan

The Cyber Crimes Department within the General Department of Criminal Investigation at Dubai Police has cautioned against fraudsters and beggars who take advantage of the compassion and kindness often seen during the Holy Month of Ramadan to make unlawful profits through electronic begging on the internet and social media platforms.

They emphasised the importance of refraining from engaging with advertisements, individuals, or entities that exploit the sanctity of this holy month for such purposes.

The department advised that donations or Zakat payments should be carried out exclusively through officially approved and licenced organisations in the country.

Dubai Police clarified that Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021, addressing the Combating of Rumors and Cyber Crimes, includes penalties for the offense of "electronic begging."

According to Article 51, anyone found guilty of begging through the use of information technology, whether by solicitation or any other form or means, may face imprisonment for up to three months, a fine of no less than Dhs10,000, or both penalties.

The Dubai Police have encouraged the public to report instances of begging by using the toll-free number 901, the "Police Eye" service available on the Dubai Police smartphone app, or by reporting cases of online begging through the "E-crime" platform.

This initiative is part of Dubai Police's annual "Combat Begging" campaign, which runs throughout the holy month of Ramadan under the slogan "An Aware Society Without Begging."

The campaign seeks to eliminate begging and organized begging activities while fostering community awareness. It urges individuals to direct their charitable contributions only through official and reliable channels.

The annual campaign, organised in collaboration with the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai and the Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities in Dubai, aims to enhance awareness about the significance of maintaining the country’s civilised image by addressing and preventing begging.