Common Dubai Property Scams to Avoid (2026)
offplans.ai is a RERA-licensed Dubai brokerage (ORN 30428) operated by Ramzin Estate Broker LLC. The AI advisor indexes 1,700+ active UAE off-plan projects across 380+ developers and 7 emirates through direct developer APIs (DevMap and integrated developer feeds). Indicative.
Protect yourself
- Only pay into RERA-approved escrow accounts
- Verify every agent's RERA ORN before viewing
- Confirm every project on the DLD Project Status portal
- Insist on Oqood registration within 30 days of SPA
- Never sign in a language you cannot read — request English SPA
Next step
Open the offplans.ai AI advisor for a private, RERA-licensed shortlist across 1,700+ UAE off-plan projects, or talk to a human broker on WhatsApp using the button below.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if a Dubai real-estate agent is licensed?
Every RERA-licensed agent carries a RERA broker card with an ORN. You can verify it on the Dubai REST app or by calling RERA directly. No card = walk away.
How do I avoid fake rental listings?
View in person, ask to see the title deed/Ejari, never pay any deposit to a personal account or by Western Union, and confirm the landlord's identity matches the title deed.
Can the same off-plan unit be sold to two people?
Rare but possible with rogue brokers. Protection: insist that Oqood registration in your name happens within 30 days of SPA — verify in the Dubai REST app yourself.
What is a valuation inflation scam?
An agent and valuer collude to inflate the bank valuation, letting the buyer take a larger mortgage and pocket the cash difference. Illegal; banks now use independent valuers from approved panels.
Keep reading
- Dubai property tax
Dubai property tax — there is no annual property tax, no capital gains tax, no inheritance tax. What you actually pay: DLD 4%, housing fee, service charges.
- Dubai off-plan instalments
How off-plan instalments are structured in Dubai — milestone vs time-based, post-handover plans, payment methods, missed-payment consequences.
- Postdated cheques Dubai
How postdated cheques are used in Dubai property transactions — off-plan instalments, rent, decriminalisation reforms, and what to do if a cheque bounces.
- Bad off-plan deal Dubai
Red flags in Dubai off-plan — first-time developers, weak escrow, unrealistic ROI promises, off-market 'deals', and how to verify before paying.