Can I file a police case for undelivered products and an unpaid refund from a private individual in Dubai?
Hi everyone,
I’m looking for legal advice regarding an online purchase dispute in Dubai.
I paid a total of AED 10,250 to a private individual (not a registered business, to my knowledge) for products that were supposed to be delivered to me. The payments were made directly to the individual’s bank account.
Despite multiple promises and delays, the products were never delivered. After repeated follow-ups, the individual agreed to refund the money and has already made several partial repayments. However, there is still an outstanding balance of AED 3,700 that remains unpaid.
I have:
- Bank transfer records
- WhatsApp conversations
- Proof of all payments
- Messages acknowledging the debt and promising to refund the remaining amount
I have already reported the matter to my bank and am considering filing a police report.
My questions are:
- Would this be considered fraud, a criminal matter, or a civil dispute?
- Does the fact that the seller is a private individual rather than a registered business affect my legal options?
- Can I still file a police case even though partial refunds have already been made?
- Is the evidence I have likely to be sufficient?
- What would be the best next step to recover the remaining AED 3,700?
Any advice from those familiar with Dubai law would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.