The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) alerts the financial services community and the public to a scam in which the DFSA was impersonated.

The scammers use a false legal firm called LLC International Legal College (LLC) offering to assist victims to recover payments made to a third party.  The scammers provide victims with a fake Certificate of Incorporation which certifies that LLC is incorporated in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).

It is noted that LLC:

• is not incorporated or located in the DIFC; and
• is not, and has never been authorised or registered by the DFSA.

The fake Certificate of Incorporation:

• uses the DFSA logo, name and address without permission;
• contains the following number; namely, “RC: 981234”.  The DFSA does not use such numbers;
• contains a false DFSA stamp and a fake signature purportedly by the Chairman of the DFSA; and
• states that LLC is “incorporated under the COMPANIES and ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990”.  A law called the COMPANIES and ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990 does not exist in the DIFC.

The DFSA strongly advises you not to respond to any communications regarding this scam, and under no circumstances should you send or give any money to any party connected to the scam.

The DFSA has a page on its website dedicated to alerts which has issued about scams.  All alerts issued by the DFSA may be accessed by going to Alerts

The DFSA has also issued warnings and guidance about the common types of scams perpetrated on consumers. For more information on these scams, please go to How to avoid being scammed

The DFSA encourages consumers to refer to the list of regulated Firms and Authorised Individuals licensed by the DFSA that is available on the DFSA's Public Register

If you have any concerns about the authenticity of any correspondence or documents that purport to be issued by the DIFC, DFSA or a DFSA-regulated Firm, you should direct your concerns to the DIFC on Tel: +971 4 362 2222 and to the DFSA via the DFSA Complaints function on Complaints