Dubai Police arrest group over fake Google reviews; lawyer explains legal limits

A wave of negative reviews on Google Maps has led to an arrest in Dubai, prompting legal experts to clarify when consumer criticism crosses into criminal territory under UAE law.

Dubai Police detained a group accused of posting false and damaging reviews about a company on Google Maps, allegedly as part of a coordinated effort to harm its reputation and cause financial losses. The arrests followed a complaint from the targeted business, according to police, who said several commercial shops had formed groups to publish fabricated reviews.

The legal line between criticism and crime

Judicial counsellor Hesham Elrafei said the key legislation in such cases is the UAE’s Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021 on Countering Rumours and Cybercrimes. Whether a review is an offence depends on its content, how it was posted, and whether it was part of an organised or paid campaign.

In the Dubai case, police said the suspects posted comments about the company despite never having visited its premises. The company had complained after noticing a series of negative reviews that it said were hurting its business. Police formed a team to trace the accounts, identify the users, and refer them to the Public Prosecution.

A genuine complaint is not automatically illegal, Elrafei stressed. Consumers may describe poor service, late deliveries, or unsatisfactory products. The legal risk arises when a person fabricates incidents, makes defamatory accusations, personally insults others, or deliberately organises false reviews to damage a business.

The distinction was illustrated in a recent Abu Dhabi case involving an online restaurant review. Earlier this year, an influencer was fined after a video was found to have defamed the restaurant rather than simply criticised its services. The court imposed a Dh30,000 criminal fine, ordered the video removed, confiscated the phone used to record and publish it, and also ordered Dh51,000 in temporary civil compensation. Lawyers told Khaleej Times at the time that criticism should stay focused on the product or service, not attack an individual’s character, integrity, or personal life.

Penalties for defamatory and paid reviews

Article 43 of the Cybercrimes Law covers online defamation and insults. Using an information network or electronic information technology to insult another person or attribute a quality that could expose them to punishment or public contempt can lead to imprisonment and/or a fine of Dh250,000 to Dh500,000. A review is not automatically protected simply because it is presented as an online opinion; the substance and circumstances matter.

Paid fake-review campaigns carry heavier risks. Article 55 criminalises requesting, accepting, or receiving, or being promised a material or non-material benefit in return for publishing or republishing illegal content or false data using electronic information technology. The penalty is temporary imprisonment and a fine of up to Dh2 million, with forfeiture of the benefit obtained. Elrafei stressed that the payment or promised benefit must be proved for this provision to apply.

The law also addresses the use of electronic robots. Article 54 states that anyone who creates or modifies a bot with the intention of disseminating, redistributing, or circulating false data or news in the UAE, or enabling others to do so, can face up to two years in prison and/or a fine of Dh100,000 to Dh1 million. The punishment can increase if multiple offenders are involved.

Cyber-extortion and competitor liability

Article 42 covers cyber-extortion and cyberthreats. Using an information network or electronic information technology to extort or threaten another person to force them to act or refrain from acting carries up to two years in prison and/or a fine of Dh250,000 to Dh500,000. Elrafei said this could apply if someone threatens a business with damaging reviews unless it provides money or another benefit.

Competitors face additional liability. Article 63 of the UAE Commercial Transactions Law states that a merchant may not use fraudulent or deceptive methods to market goods or publish false particulars prejudicial to the interests of another competing merchant. A violation can make the merchant liable for compensation.

In a recent UAE case involving allegedly defamatory online content, the court ordered the offending material removed and confiscated the device used to record and publish it, alongside the criminal fine and civil compensation. The case shows that online content can have consequences beyond the original post, particularly when it causes legally recognised harm.

Advice for businesses

Businesses can also seek compensation for proven financial losses caused by unlawful reviews, but they must establish both the damage and its connection to the unlawful conduct. Evidence is critical: screenshots, account details, messages, dates, and proof of financial impact.

For businesses facing a suspected fake-review campaign, legal experts urge preserving evidence rather than simply deleting or ignoring the reviews. Screenshots, account details, messages, dates, and evidence of any financial impact can help establish what was posted, who was behind it, and whether the conduct caused measurable damage. The Dubai Police case shows that businesses can report suspected coordinated activity to authorities, who may investigate the accounts behind the posts.

Police have warned that online platforms cannot be used to deliberately harm others. UAE law provides several routes for authorities or affected businesses to pursue conduct depending on its nature.