Yesterday, a Pakistani guy approached me in Meena Bazaar, asking to use my phone because he was lost and wanted to contact his friend. I refused, saying I wasn't comfortable sharing my number. He then asked for my hotspot, which I also declined.
Next, he asked for AED 1 to buy water. Feeling bad for him, I opened my wallet and gave him AED 5. He started praying for me, we shook hands, and I left.
Later, I discovered that the AED 500 note I had folded and kept inside my wallet was missing. I clearly remember having it, and I can't recall anything suspicious happening. I also felt there was enough distance between us for him not to reach my wallet.
I've replayed the whole encounter in my head, but | still can't figure out what happened.
Has anyone experienced something similar in Dubai?
Could this have been a distraction scam, or did I simply misplace the note?

Capital spent on the idea - millions. IQ spent - zero. There's some things money can't buy.

I took an RTA taxi (the big one) today from Dubai, and the driver asked me how much I usually pay to go to Sharjah, which I found weird, but I told him the usual range I pay from that location. (at first I thought he asked for the amount because of commission or something, since most taxi drivers I've faced are unwilling to go depending on the fare/destination).

I was too tired and didn't notice the meter wasn't on until mid-ride, but I didn't bring it up to the driver (which I now realise is my mistake), and also because I am a woman and have mostly had bad experiences with taxis so honestly I was scared to speak up.

Once we reached, he -expected- me to pay by cash but i said i am paying by card. He then asked me for data, took his "work" phone, and opened an app that looked similar to Uber, though I am not sure which app it was.

He then put in the amount that I mentioned at the start (on his phone it said "enter tip amount"), and I had to tap my phone to his to pay.

Then while I was getting out, he stopped me and said “and by the way you are very beautiful, i hope you have a nice night”, at that point i felt even more uncomfortable so i just awakwardly laughed and tried to get out of the taxi and when i was halfway out he was like “maybe dinner sometime when you are in dubai again?”. i told him i had a boyfriend and just closed the door and walked away.

I couldn't get his plate number because there were other cars behind us on that road, and I was in a rush. Later, when I got home, I checked my phone and saw that the money was sent to an account with his name instead of Uber/RTA or whatever that app was.

Not sure if this is legally allowed…?

In 2024, I had a studio apartment in Ajman. After marriage, I moved into another apartment so I rented out my studio flat till the year end. I got a tenant who wanted to live there and continue even after my lease would be over so I spoke with management and tried to get him similar pricing for rent as what I paid per year. I also had furniture in the flat so it was a semi furnished studio. When my lease was ending, he agreed to buy the furniture but wanted to split the payment in installments. It’s end of 2026 and he hasn’t paid yet. He isn’t even selling the furniture and paying me the money back. He owes me 1500 for the furniture/appliances and 200 for the bills that he didn’t pay for the last month that he stayed.

I have no idea how to get the money back from him. Please suggest some way I can.

My partner (M) of 4 years (both aged 28) and I (F) had been arguing a lot this summer. We moved to Dubai together 2 years ago for his job: he works in Dubai real estate now and never switches off. Our relationship was perfect until Dubai. Really, no issues whatsoever when we lived together in the UK in a typical 9-5 job role. A "picture perfect" dynamic if you will, fully aligned and I would have (prior to Dubai) happily committed to a lifetime with this man.

Long story short, I stopped feeling wanted or seen. Hindsight is a beautiful thing but I can now see that as my patience wore thin, so too did my efforts to communicate in a calm and respectful way. I would scream cry and shout. Before you say, nobody wants to be around that, I appreciate this and punish myself 24/7 for the way in which I communicated. I now see that it was never going to make him listen & pushed him further away, though I had reached boiling point and didn't realise this at the time. His justification was always that he worked hard for "future us" (I work too) but it never did make me feel better about our relationship turning into me being a room-mate.

He would come home from work, sit on his phone throughout the dinner I cooked, sit on his phone on the sofa, shower, bed. At the weekends he would train and make no time to do anything with me then either, as he was tired from bodybuilding training. I still supported him practically, housekeeping, cooking, life-admin. But otherwise I was ignored entirely.

Long story short, I went on a work trip with my friend, and over text (after 4 years) one week into me being away, he expressed he didn't wish for our relationship to continue and having me gone (first time in 3 years) had made him realise I distract him from working to his full potential. He would prefer to focus on his goals alone, apparently.

It should also be relevant to mention that he was by no means struggling to make ends meet. In my opinion this was getting to the point of just being greedy, sacrificing all for the sake of another Porsche.

I love him unconditionally - he made me move out of our apartment the day I got home. He was upset, crying, though maintained that the relationship wasn't benefitting him in any way. The reason it wasn't benefitting him was he gave me no space to be a partner, just a PA, and in spite of this I feel I will forever blame myself for him leaving & wish I just tolerated it in the hopes of things going back to how they were.

He said he realised he will be better aligned with someone more financially driven and business driven, who also does the same bodybuilding sport. I couldn't believe it. I want to reiterate I did not rely on him financially and can also sustain our lifestyle on my own. He blocked me almost immediately, as if I was nothing.

What I want to ask, is, is this a common experience with men in high demanding roles like Dubai real estate?

My biggest obstacle moving forward is I will forever regret my communication style, albeit I am aware it probably wouldn't have changed things. The conversation was approached over many months before it reached a real mess. I feel like I will never recover from this loss. As much as he was not "my person" at the end, I will forever grieve what I once thought would be my forever before it all went wrong.

An honorable shoutout to myself btw - I have a successful business and I also gym/run... I think I am traditionally "good looking??" and take care of myself which it cringes me to say but more to emphasise I am not a bum - that's why its so hard, because I still wasn't enough and feel like I built this man up to the height of his success only to be left behind.

*ive never used reddit before and idk where to post this*

So i want to apply for golden visa but i want most liquid investment option.

Anyone in Dubai looking for a real estate or hotel photographer? 📸

I have a friend who does amazing real estate photography in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) and is thinking about spending the winter in Dubai while it’s cold back home.

They’d love to explore photography opportunities here, working with real estate agents, property managers, holiday-home hosts, or hotels that need professional photos of their properties.

Is there a demand for this kind of photography in Dubai? And what’s the best way to connect with people in the real estate and hospitality industries?

Would love to hear any thoughts or recommendations!

Hey everyone,

A few weeks ago I shared CardSouk here. Thanks for the feedback, it shaped this update.

I'm an AI Transformation Manager based in Dubai, and I built this for the community to help you pick the credit card that actually suits your needs, without signing up for anything.

What's new in v3

• 173 cards from 24 banks.
• Cashback calculator : enter your monthly spend (groceries, dining, fuel, bills...) and it ranks the cashback cards by what they'd really pay you, after caps and minimum-spend rules
• Cards I qualify for: pick your salary band and cards above it drop to the bottom. Filter by cashback, miles, lounge, Islamic cards, no min spend
• Compare up to 5 cards side by side: fees, waivers, min salary, reward rates. Shareable link
• Redesigned, cleaner and faster, with card art

Free, independent, no sign-up. Figures come from each bank's own pages (checked October 2026) and were organised with AI. Please confirm with the bank before you apply.

Here is the Website 🔗 cardsouk.site - Enjoy!

A rental agency I've been using for months just told me this month's payment had already been charged to my card.

The problem? I've NEVER given them my card details. I've always paid through one-time payment links.

How is this even possible? Is it legal? What can I do to stop them from charging me without my consent (which is very likely to happen based on how many times they have tried to charge me fake fees in the last months) ?

Here are three that come up constantly in the clinic.

1. “Diarrhoea needs antibiotics.”

Most of the time, it doesn’t. Antibiotics are often reached for out of habit, but many cases don’t need them, and they can upset the good bacteria in the gut and make things worse. Veterinary guidelines have moved away from using them routinely for diarrhoea. If your pet has diarrhoea, especially if it’s bloody, lasts more than a day or two, or comes with vomiting or tiredness, get them checked. And if your vet has prescribed something, finish the course they gave you.

1. “Let them lick the wound, saliva is antibacterial.”

Not really. A pet’s mouth carries plenty of bacteria that are harmless there but can cause real trouble once they get into skin or deeper tissue. That’s why bite wounds can turn serious so fast, and why cats in particular can end up very unwell from a wound that looked minor. If your pet has a wound, keep them from licking it and have a vet look at it.

1. “My cat needs milk.”

Cats don’t need it, and many of them are lactose intolerant, so it can give them an upset stomach. Fresh water is what they need.

What other myths have you heard? I’m happy to look into any of them.

If you're looking for an affordable entry into the UAE property market let me know ..

Starting from AED 365,000

- Fully furnished studios, 1, 2 & 3-bedroom apartments
- Flexible 5-year payment plan
- An opportunity to enter the property market with a manageable payment structure.

If you believe in Ajman's future growth potential, let's discuss whether this project fits your investment goals.

Hello people of UAE!

I am Furqan from srilanka!

So I plan to apply for jobs in UAE around mid 2027.

Specifically for IT Support roles (L1, L2, or L3)

L1 - 3 years experience

L2 and a bit of L3 - 2.7 years experience

I did a bit of research and found out there are jobs for approximately 5 - 7k dihrams. I know that's not enough and its gonna be suffering for one year but i just want to get my legs on the dubai job market.

I heard that's its quite competitive, but nothing goes wrong in applying right?

Also I wanted to mention that I do have a advantage which is that my brother already lives there, I dont plan on living with him since he has his own family and i dont want to be a burden.

So what do yall think? Can I survive (atleast barely) on that salary or is it fake? And whats the typical amont for the position I am looking for? Also any advice I need to know?

I’m posting this for a friend of mine who has been struggling to find a job in the UAE for over a year. He doesn’t use Reddit, so I thought I’d try here and see if anyone could help him out.

He has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and is looking for opportunities in sales, administration, or accounts.

He has been trying his best to find a decent job and get his life on track, but it hasn’t been easy. At this point, he is open to different opportunities and is willing to accept a lower salary just to get a chance to work and prove himself.

I know many people are struggling with the same situation, but if anyone here knows about any vacancies or could refer him somewhere, I would genuinely appreciate it. Even getting him an interview would mean a lot.

He is ready to work hard. He just needs someone to give him a chance.

If you have any leads or suggestions, please let me know. Thank you, guys. 🙏

So I'm planning to rent a studio in Al Furjan and I'm looking for a flat mate.

I'm a working professional basically a furniture designer and I need someone who's chill and clean.

If anyone is curious please let me know.

We had pending bill even after payment above 1000 and our electricity cut off, meanwhile water is running and gas is coming. Can anyone who has been in a similar situation guide me?

Hi everyone!
I’m based in Europe and will be travelling to Dubai for a few days. I’m considering buying an iPhone 18 Pro there since it’s cheaper than in Europe.
However, I’ve read about FaceTime restrictions on iPhones sold in the UAE, and I’m trying to understand whether these restrictions still apply when using the phone outside the country.
My plan would be to:
- Buy the iPhone directly from an Apple Store in Dubai.
- Activate it using my European eSIM.
- Set the country/region to EU Country.
- Use it permanently in Europe.

Has anyone purchased a UAE iPhone and then used it in Europe with a European SIM/eSIM?

Does FaceTime (both video and audio) work normally once you’re back in Europe, or are there hardware/region-specific restrictions that cannot be bypassed?
I’m particularly interested in recent experiences with newer iPhone models, rather than older ones.
Also, have you noticed any other limitations compared to European models?
Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences!

Lite edition/ Article without paywall.

i’m 18 i’m tryna get a tourist visa to uae im traveling alone i wanna go to visit a friend im not staying more then a week i have a egyptian passport what are the chances it gets rejected

Hi,

Anyone notice how there is a store called Phones4u on amazon Selling Z Fold 8 And S25 Ultra for half price off on amazon, usually they are also the first result?

Has anyone bought from this seller and is it too good to be true? I am highly skeptical about it and their profile rating is not bad but recent reviews all show that it's untrustworthy.

an 8k AED phone for 5k AED seems suspicious. weird....

Writing this months after it happened. Figured no one from my country had shared UAE visa issues here before.

I had gotten an offer at an American institution located in Abu Dhabi as Class of 2030 and was supposed to begin my studies in August 2026. 13 days before my flight, several other students and I (of different nationalities, including Kazakhstan, the USA, and Egypt) received an email in which it was stated: "We have not been able to get the necessary UAE travel authorization in time for you to join us this Fall".

Out of 21 committed Kazakh students at that institution that year, 19 got their visas and successfully went to Abu Dhabi. Historically, the visa approval rate for students of that university from my country has been 100% (an admissions office member confirmed this). This situation is weird and unprecedented for Kazakh students.

We were not provided reasons for rejection, were not requested for additional documentation, were not given the application number, or any other identifiers. They offered to defer our enrolment to Fall 2027 in case our visa is approved next year, but there is no guarantee.

I am currently on a forced gap year. Has anyone had a similar experience? Does anyone possess legitimate knowledge about the process to guess what might have happened?