How to Report an Unauthorized Bank Transaction in the UAE
Report an unauthorized UAE bank transaction immediately, secure the account, preserve evidence and follow the bank-to-Sanadak complaint path.
The practical answer
Report an unauthorised transfer, card payment or account change to the bank immediately through its 24-hour fraud channel. Ask it to block the affected instrument, record the dispute and try to secure funds. A fast report improves the chance of containment but does not guarantee recovery.
How to handle it
1. Secure access immediately
Use the bank’s official app or number to freeze the card or account access, change compromised credentials and sign out unknown devices. Never give an OTP to someone claiming to reverse the transaction.
2. Create a fraud report
Identify each transaction, time, amount and merchant or beneficiary, and explain why it was not authorised. Obtain a case number and ask what declaration or police report is required.
3. Preserve the evidence
Keep alerts, statements, device messages, call logs and the bank’s acknowledgements. Do not delete the fraudulent message or continue communicating with the scammer.
4. Use the complaint sequence
If the investigation or liability decision is disputed, file a formal complaint with the bank. After the required bank complaint stage, approach Sanadak when the case is eligible.
Important: Do not wait for the outer reporting period. The CBUAE standard requires institutions to provide a meaningful opportunity to report, but immediate action is safer.
Before you act
A bank should not simply assign disputed liability without considering evidence of proper authorisation. Complex cases can involve card-network, beneficiary-bank, police and insurance processes, so keep every reference and response.
Official source and review note
Dubai Daily Guide reviewed this article on 10 October 2026 against CBUAE Rulebook — Business conduct ↗. Check the live service before acting because eligibility, documents, fees and processing steps can change.