How to spot a fake UAE job offer
By Asli UAE · Updated 3 October 2026
Every week people lose their savings to job offers that sound real: a hotel in Dubai, a good salary, accommodation included — and a small fee to “process the visa”. Here is how to tell a real offer from a fake one in under a minute.
The 8 warning signs
- They ask you to pay — for a visa, “processing”, a medical, training, a uniform or a “refundable deposit”. Real UAE employers don't charge workers for a job.
- You get an offer without a real interview, or after a five-minute chat on WhatsApp.
- A big brand's “HR” writes from Gmail, Yahoo or Outlook, or only on WhatsApp or Telegram. Real recruiters use the company's own email domain.
- They promise a “free visa” or a visa you can use to work for anyone. These are not real employment visas.
- They want to keep your passport, or ask for copies of your bank card.
- The salary is far above normal for the job — for example AED 8,000 a month for a cleaner or a helper.
- Pressure: “only 2 seats left”, “pay today or lose the job”.
- “Easy online tasks” — liking videos, rating hotels or products for money. After a few small payouts they ask you to deposit money to unlock “premium tasks”. That money doesn't come back.
What a real offer looks like
- You applied on the company's own careers page, or a recruiter contacted you from the company's email domain.
- There was a proper interview, in person or by video.
- The written offer names the company, the job, the salary and the benefits — and you pay nothing.
- The employer arranges your work permit, residence visa, medical test and Emirates ID.
Check before you pay or send documents
Search the company's official website and apply there instead. Every job on Asli UAE links to the employer's own careers page, so you can see the job is real before you apply.
Paste the message you received into our free scam checker — it highlights the warning signs in seconds. It's a guide, not a guarantee, so if anything feels wrong, don't pay.
If you have already paid
- Stop paying — scammers usually come back for more “fees”.
- Keep every message, receipt and phone number.
- Report it to the police. In Dubai you can report online at ecrime.ae; in other emirates contact the local police.
- Warn friends and family: share this guide in your groups.
Common questions
Is it normal to pay for a UAE work visa?
No. Under UAE labour law an employer may not charge a worker recruitment fees or costs. The employer arranges and pays for the work permit and residence visa. Anyone asking you to pay for a job or a visa is a red flag.
Can a WhatsApp job offer be real?
Some recruiters do use WhatsApp, but a real one will also email you from the company's domain, interview you properly and never ask for money. If the offer exists only on WhatsApp, treat it as suspicious.
How can I check if a company is real?
Find the company's official website yourself (don't use the link they sent), look for the job on its careers page, and apply there. Asli UAE only lists jobs taken from employers' own careers pages.