Finding an unfamiliar card charge, a duplicated payment or a transaction you never approved is stressful, especially if money has already left your account. In the UAE there is a clear escalation path: act fast with your bank first, keep a paper trail, and only then take the case to the UAE Central Bank’s consumer protection system if the bank does not resolve it fairly. This guide walks through each step in the order that gives you the best chance of a refund.
Act Immediately: Protect the Account First
As soon as you spot something wrong, lock or freeze the affected card in your banking app if that option is available, and call the bank’s official fraud number from its website or the back of your card — never a number sent in a suspicious message. Tell the bank clearly whether you are reporting fraud, where you did not authorise the transaction at all, or a dispute, where you authorised a payment but the goods, amount or service were wrong.
Change your online banking password and review recent transactions on all linked accounts. Note the date of your call and any reference number. Reporting promptly usually strengthens your position, although outcomes are never guaranteed.
Raise a Formal Dispute With Your Bank
A phone call should be followed by a formal dispute through the bank’s app, online portal, branch or official complaint channel. You will typically be asked to complete a dispute form, state the transaction date and amount, and confirm whether the card is still in your possession. Be precise and factual, and submit supporting evidence promptly.
Helpful evidence depends on the case, but often includes:
- For fraud: Screenshots of the alert, a statement that you did not share your PIN or one-time password, and a police report if the bank asks for one.
- For merchant disputes: Receipts, order confirmations, delivery records and messages showing you tried to resolve it with the merchant first.
- For duplicates or wrong amounts: Both transaction references and the correct invoice or receipt.
- For subscriptions: Proof of cancellation before the disputed renewal date.
Ask for the dispute reference and expected timeline. Timelines vary, often running to several weeks, so treat any date given as approximate. Keep paying the undisputed part of your card bill.
While You Wait: What to Expect
The bank usually forwards the case through the card network to the merchant’s bank, which can accept the claim or contest it with evidence such as delivery proof or device data. You may be asked for a written declaration or additional documents, and missing a request can cause the case to close against you, so check your email, app messages and spam folder regularly.
Do not repeat the disputed payment while the case is open, and keep the goods, if any, in case return is required. If you were persuaded to authorise a transfer yourself, tell the bank honestly — such scams are assessed differently from fraud where you gave no authorisation.
Escalating to Sanadak and the Central Bank
If your bank rejects the dispute, gives a final response you consider unfair, or fails to resolve the complaint within the timeframe it states, you can escalate. In the UAE, consumer complaints against banks and insurers that remain unresolved are handled through Sanadak, the ombudsman unit established under the Central Bank’s consumer protection framework. You will normally need your bank’s final response or complaint reference, your Emirates ID and account details, and the evidence you already submitted.
Submit the case through Sanadak’s official channels as directed on the UAE Central Bank website. Describe the facts in date order and state what resolution you are seeking. If the issue involves a crime, a separate report through Dubai Police may also be appropriate.
Reduce the Risk Next Time
Turn on instant transaction alerts, keep daily card limits sensible, and never share a one-time password — genuine bank staff will not ask for it. Review statements weekly.
Most disputes are resolved by the bank without escalation when they are reported quickly and documented well. Act at once, write everything down, and use the Central Bank route calmly if you need it — that combination gives your money the best chance of coming back.