In the UAE, facilitating money transfers or deposits for strangers, even unknowingly, can result in severe penalties under stringent anti-money laundering and cybercrime laws. Convictions under Federal Law No. 20/2018 may lead to up to 10 years imprisonment and fines ranging from AED 100,000 to AED 5 million. Similarly, Federal Decree Law No. 34/2021 applies to electronic transactions with punishments of up to 10 years in prison and fines up to AED 5 million. It is crucial to exercise extreme caution as compliant intentions do not exempt individuals from legal liability. The UAE authorities have issued a firm warning against helping unknown individuals transfer or deposit money due to the risk of criminal charges for money laundering. The law emphasizes that even unwittingly assisting in suspicious transactions can have serious consequences, obliging individuals to report any potentially illicit requests. Monitoring and upholding financial laws rigorously are essential to comply with the anti-financial crime statutes in the UAE.
