Almost every Dubai property scam depends on the buyer skipping a check that takes a few minutes. Dubai gives you unusually good tools to verify an agent, a developer, a project and a title for free, mostly from your phone. This guide sets out what to check and where, the scams those checks prevent, and what to do if something has already gone wrong.
The five checks that prevent most problems
| Check | Where to do it | What it protects you from |
|---|---|---|
| Agent’s Broker Registration Number (BRN) | Dubai REST app or the DLD broker search | Unlicensed agents and fake listings |
| Listing permit | Trakheesi permit number on the advert | Listings the owner never authorised |
| Developer and project registration | Dubai REST app or the DLD website | Unregistered or cancelled projects |
| Escrow account | Your contract, confirmed with the bank by phone | Payments diverted away from the project |
| Title and encumbrances | Title deed or Oqood certificate through the DLD | Forged titles, double sales, undisclosed mortgages |
Check the agent
Every licensed broker in Dubai has a Broker Registration Number issued through RERA. Ask for it before you discuss a property.
- Look it up yourself on the Dubai REST app or the Dubai Land Department (DLD) broker search. A number on a business card or an email signature proves nothing.
- Check the brokerage too. The company needs its own trade licence and RERA registration.
- Look for the Trakheesi permit number on the listing. Every property advert in Dubai must carry one. See what a Trakheesi permit is.
- Treat hesitation as a warning. An agent who delays, changes the subject or says a colleague “handles that” is not one to pay money to.
Badges on property portals, such as TruCheck on Bayut, show that the portal has checked the listing is real and available. They are a useful filter, but they are the portal’s own check, not a RERA or DLD verification. Still verify the BRN and the project yourself.
Check the developer
Before you buy off-plan, confirm:
- The developer is on the DLD’s register of developers. Registration is a legal condition for selling off-plan.
- The project itself is registered and its status is active, not delayed or cancelled. The Dubai REST app shows this.
- The delivery record. Search for the developer’s previous projects: were they delivered on time, and how do owners rate the build quality and the service charges?
- Land and permits. Ask for proof that the developer owns the plot or has the right to build on it, and has a building permit.
- Disputes. Search the news for litigation or cancelled projects linked to the developer.
- The site. Visit it if you can. Activity on the ground should match the construction progress you have been told.
If anything is unclear, contact RERA directly. Answering buyers’ questions about a project’s status is part of its job.
Check the escrow account
Under the Escrow Law, Law No. 8 of 2007, every payment for an off-plan unit must go into the project’s escrow account, and the developer can draw it only as construction progresses. It is the one safeguard that ties your money to your building.
- Get the escrow account details from the Sale and Purchase Agreement.
- Confirm the account number by calling the bank yourself, using a number you found independently, not one given by the agent.
- Pay only into that account. Never pay an individual, an agent or a company account, whatever reason is given.
Common excuses you may hear: “it is faster”, “there is a special discount if you pay today”, “the escrow account is being set up”, “pay the booking fee to us and the rest to escrow”. None of them is a legitimate reason. Money paid outside escrow has no statutory protection, and recovering it means suing whoever you paid. Read our guide to Dubai escrow accounts.
Check the property
For ready and resale property:
- Ask for the title deed and verify it through the DLD. The Dubai REST and DubaiNow apps both offer title verification.
- Check whether there is a mortgage or any other restriction registered against the unit.
- Confirm the seller’s identity matches the name on the title deed. If someone is selling under a power of attorney, check it is valid and notarised.
- Ask for the developer’s No Objection Certificate, which confirms that service charges are paid. A verbal assurance is not enough.
- Look up the building’s approved service charge on the DLD’s service charge index and compare it with what you were told.
For off-plan property:
- Confirm the sale will be registered on Oqood, the interim register. An unregistered off-plan sale is void.
- Read the Sale and Purchase Agreement for the completion date, the compensation for delay and the termination terms. See off-plan refunds and cancellation rules.
Common scams and how to recognise them
| Scam | How it works | The check that stops it |
|---|---|---|
| Escrow diversion | You are asked to pay into a personal or company account | Pay only into the verified escrow account |
| Fake or duplicated listings | A property is advertised by someone with no authority to sell it | Trakheesi permit and BRN |
| Double selling | The same unit is sold to two buyers before either sale is registered | Register promptly and pay only at the trustee office |
| Forged documents | Counterfeit title deeds, NOCs or contracts | Verify each document with the DLD or the developer |
| “Guaranteed” returns | A promised yield or buy-back that is not in the contract | If it is not written in the SPA, it does not exist |
| Unlicensed agents | Someone outside the RERA system collects deposits | BRN lookup |
| Understated service charges | A low figure is quoted to improve the yield | Service charge index |
| Artificial urgency | “Last unit at this price, transfer today” | Walk away from any deal that cannot wait for checks |
Be just as careful with what agents say. “Basically freehold” is not freehold (see Dubai ownership types). A unit does not qualify for a Golden Visa because an agent says so. And closing costs are 6% to 8% of the price, not “a few thousand dirhams” (see every buying fee explained).
The checklist by stage
Before you reserve
- Verify the agent’s BRN and the brokerage’s licence.
- Confirm the developer and project registration.
- For resale, verify the title deed and check for mortgages.
- Check the approved service charge.
Before you pay
- Confirm the escrow account with the bank (off-plan).
- Pay through the trustee office process (resale), by manager’s cheque made out to the seller named on the title deed.
- Get every promise in writing in the contract.
Before transfer
- Get the full list of closing costs in writing.
- Make sure the NOC has been issued.
- Check the unit and the snagging list.
After transfer
- Collect your title deed or Oqood certificate and verify it on Dubai REST.
- Set up DEWA and register with the owners’ management company.
If a project is cancelled
RERA can cancel a project under Law No. 13 of 2008. Disputes over cancelled projects then go to a special judicial committee for the liquidation of cancelled real estate projects, set up by Decree No. 21 of 2013. It decides claims between buyers and the developer and oversees the return of what is left in the escrow account and the project’s other assets. Its decisions are final and cannot be appealed in the ordinary courts, so file your claim with full payment evidence.
If you have been defrauded
Speed matters, because the first registered buyer normally keeps the property and money moves quickly.
- Gather your evidence: the contract, payment receipts, bank transfers and all messages.
- Notify the DLD and RERA in writing straight away, particularly if there is a conflicting registration.
- File a police report if forgery or deliberate fraud is involved.
- Instruct a UAE-licensed property lawyer. In a double sale, the buyer who loses the property usually has a claim for the money paid and damages, pursued through the Dubai Courts.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check if a Dubai real estate agent is licensed?
Ask for the agent’s Broker Registration Number and look it up on the Dubai REST app or the DLD’s broker search. Check that the brokerage is registered as well.
How do I know if a Dubai off-plan project is legitimate?
Confirm on the Dubai REST app that the developer and the project are registered with the DLD, that the project has an escrow account, and that your sale will be registered on Oqood.
Is it safe to pay a booking deposit to an agent?
No. For off-plan property, all payments go to the project’s escrow account. For resale, deposits are normally held by cheque in the seller’s name under the signed contract, not transferred to an agent’s personal account.
Does a TruCheck badge mean a listing is verified by the government?
No. It is Bayut’s own verification that the listing is genuine and available. It does not replace checking the agent’s BRN and the property’s title.
What happens if my off-plan project is cancelled?
Buyers are refunded from the project’s escrow account and assets through the special committee for cancelled projects. How much is recovered depends on what is left in the project.
Can I check a Dubai title deed online?
Yes. The DLD offers title deed verification through the Dubai REST and DubaiNow apps.
This article is general information, not legal advice. If you suspect fraud, contact the DLD, RERA and a UAE-licensed lawyer without delay.
