What looked like a trusted business deal has turned into a nightmare for dozens of suppliers in Dubai and across the UAE. Several companies in Dubai, working out of Al Reem Tower, have disappeared after pulling off a massive Dh25 million scam.
At the center of it is Rak Marine Services, along with its sister firms Rak Impex Goods Wholesalers and Rak Facility. These companies in Dubai claimed to be a ship chandler, offering ship repair, equipment rental, and manpower supply. Everything looked legit — a well-designed website, proper documentation, and even offices in a prime Dubai location.
But now, it’s clear they were running a well-planned fake website scam.
The companies placed large orders for goods prawns, laptops, steel coils, flight tickets, iPhones, and more. They paid small amounts upfront, building trust. Then they handed out post-dated cheques, accepted deliveries, and vanished before the cheques cleared.
Their offices in Al Reem Tower are now locked. Phones are off. Warehouses once full of supplies are empty. Dozens of companies in Dubai are now urgently seeking answers and legal action.
A shared folder circulating among affected businesses lists 95 victims. Some have lost a few thousand dirhams. Others are staring at losses in the hundreds of thousands. The total is already over Dh25 million, and more keep coming forward.
Andrey Palukhin, a supplier based in Dubai, says he delivered 300 water heaters worth Dh90,000. “We visited their office and their warehouse in Sharjah. It all looked real. But our cheques bounced just days later.”
Travel agencies took a huge hit, too. One reported losing Dh670,000 after issuing 707 international flight tickets. Another agency sold 150 tickets along with hotel bookings worth Dh178,000, but later discovered the scammers had resold the tickets elsewhere.
Food traders weren’t spared either. One supplier handed over 2,000kg of prawns, 900kg of chicken, cooking oil, and tea — a total loss of Dh220,000. “We rushed to their cold storage when the first cheque bounced,” the company said. “It was empty. So was the warehouse in Sajja. That’s when we knew we’d been scammed.”
Some rushed to Al Muraqqabat Police Station, hoping to file fraud complaints. But the police asked them to wait until their cheques officially bounced. This delay that many believe gave the scammers more time to escape.
“They fooled so many of us,” said the owner of a steel supply company from Ajman that lost Dh845,000. “And now we can’t even take action because of these technical delays.”
As more details come out, it seems this wasn’t their first time.The same people ran other shady companies, issued fake cheques, collected deliveries, and then disappeared.
One warehouse in Emirates Industrial City, Sharjah, is still full — possibly the only trace left of the scam.
This case has shaken small and mid-sized companies in Dubai. Many now share updates and suspect photos through WhatsApp groups, trying to warn others.
In a city known for speed and trust in business, scams like these are a harsh reminder: even a polished setup can hide a big con.
