Scam in United Arab EmiratesShopping
Pressure to buy in shops in United Arab Emirates
How it works
Staff may follow you around or keep showing you goods. Carpet sellers may unroll many rugs and spend a long time with you. This can make you feel that you owe them a purchase, but you do not.
Warning signs
- Staff keep pushing after you say you are only looking.
- The seller keeps bringing out goods after you decline.
- You feel pressured to buy because of the time spent helping you.
How to avoid it
- State clearly that you are only browsing.
- Set a spending limit before entering.
- Leave if the pressure becomes uncomfortable.
- Shop with a companion if saying no feels difficult.
If it happens to you
- Move to a safe place. Avoid an argument or confrontation.
- Stop further payments and contact. Do not pay anyone who promises to recover your money for a fee.
- If a card or account is affected, contact your bank or card issuer immediately. Ask about blocking access and disputing payments.
- Save receipts, messages, screenshots, payment records and any vehicle details. Write down what happened while you remember it.
- Report fraud or theft to the police. In Dubai, call 999 if you need police attention.
- Contact your embassy or consulate if your passport was stolen or you need help replacing travel documents.
What travellers report
Posts about this scam on other sites, summarised in our words. Open one to read the original.
- Redditr/dubai2025Did I get scammed? (Perfume)A commenter describes a perfume seller blocking their exit repeatedly, reducing the asking price and attempting to charge more than agreed.Read on Reddit
- Redditr/dubai2025Do NOT go to Dubai desert safariA traveller reports being taken to a shop where staff fitted a headscarf and then doubled its quoted price at checkout.Read on Reddit
- TripadvisorTripadvisor attraction reviewsDUBAI SPICE SOUK - All You SHOULD Know Before You Go 2026 (w/ Reviews)A visitor describes numerous salespeople applying pressure at the Spice Souk, although most accepted a polite refusal.Read on Tripadvisor
Questions
What is the pressure to buy in shops scam in United Arab Emirates?
Staff may follow you around or keep showing you goods. Carpet sellers may unroll many rugs and spend a long time with you. This can make you feel that you owe them a purchase, but you do not.
How can I spot it early?
Staff keep pushing after you say you are only looking. The seller keeps bringing out goods after you decline. You feel pressured to buy because of the time spent helping you.
How do I avoid pressure to buy in shops in United Arab Emirates?
State clearly that you are only browsing. Set a spending limit before entering. Leave if the pressure becomes uncomfortable. Shop with a companion if saying no feels difficult.
Where in United Arab Emirates does this happen?
Shops, especially carpet stores and shops selling tapestries or antiques It has been reported in Abu Dhabi.
How common is this scam in United Arab Emirates?
Common. The United Arab Emirates has low crime overall, and the scams described here are mainly shopping pressure, taxi overcharging and phone fraud. Watch for missing change, extra VAT added to a quoted price, off-meter taxi fares and unexpected calls promising money or claiming legal trouble.
Are there similar scams in United Arab Emirates?
Yes: high opening prices in souks, short-changing cash customers, vAT added to an already quoted price.
Who can I report it to?
Police: report fraud or theft and provide any evidence you saved. In Dubai, call 999 if you need police attention. Bank or card issuer: use its official app or the contact number on your card to report unauthorised payments, block a card or ask about a dispute. Taxi booking service: if you booked through an app, report the fare problem through that booking and keep the trip record. Embassy or consulate: use its official contact details for help with a stolen passport or replacement travel documents.
What number do I call in an emergency in United Arab Emirates?
Police attention in Dubai: 999.
Reviewed by @snuck