Dubai Police arrest suspects over fake Google Maps reviews of a company

Centre · 1Dubai Police have arrested a group of individuals accused of posting false and negative comments on a company's Google Maps review page to damage its reputation and cause financial losses. 1 Centre · 1Maj Yasser Juma Mohammed, head of the Social Media Crimes Section at the e-Crimes and Cybersecurity Department of Dubai Police's General Department of Criminal Investigation, said the arrests followed a complaint filed by the company's management. 1 Centre · 2He said investigations found that several commercial shops had formed groups and allegedly posted false reviews about the company, resulting in financial losses. 1 2

Centre · 1He made the disclosure on the Dubai Police Podcast, in an episode titled 'A Single Word Could Become a Case. Be Careful', presented by Mohammed Ibrahim Al Hammadi and published on Monday 12 October on platforms including Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The coverage does not name the company or the suspects, say how many were arrested, or give their nationalities or charges. 1 Centre · 1Maj Yasser warned users against using freedom of expression to harm others or damage reputations, saying opinions have limits and deliberately harmful or false comments can lead to legal accountability. 1 Centre · 1He also said customers are entitled to share their experiences, but there is a difference between an honest negative review and comments that could amount to insult or defamation. 2

Centre · 1In the same podcast he warned that resharing rumours and filming people without permission can bring legal consequences, and said UAE law provides tougher penalties for electronic crimes than for offences committed by traditional means. 1 Centre · 1The National followed up on 15 October with legal experts. Dubai lawyers Nikhat Sardar Khan and Ludmila Yamalova of Lylaw said negative reviews are not illegal in the UAE, but malicious or false ones can expose the writer to action, and that deleting a review does not automatically remove liability. 2 Centre · 1The National cites Article 43 of the UAE Cybercrimes Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021), under which online insults can carry fines of Dh250,000 to Dh500,000 and/or imprisonment. It adds that spreading false information can bring at least one year in prison and a fine of at least Dh100,000, rising to two years and Dh200,000 if committed during an emergency or crisis. 2

Centre · 1The National also noted that a complaint does not automatically establish an offence and that criminal liability depends on the particular statements and circumstances. Small business owners it quoted said fake reviews mislead customers and hurt businesses. 2