Dubai HR Firm Conned Out Of Dh50,000 As Scammers Impersonate Emirates Flight Catering

An HR services provider has been conned out of nearly Dh50,000 after cybercriminals impersonated Emirates Flight Catering (EKFC), one of the UAE's largest catering companies.

EKFC said it had been alerted to recent fraudulent activity involving its name and is cooperating with authorities while urging partners to be vigilant.

The scam, which took place last month, was uncovered when the HR firm realised it had been communicating not with EKFC but with fraudsters who had carefully spoofed the company's identity.

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The attackers reached out by email, using near-identical domain names project[at]vendor-emireteflightcatering[.]com and project[at]vendor-emiretesflightcatering[.]com. Both contained subtle misspellings of“Emirates.” To make the ploy more convincing, the sender displayed the name“Emirates Flight Catering EKFC.”

The HR firm, which had previously worked with EKFC through an intermediary, was told that the caterer was“back online” and accepting applications for direct partnerships. The process looked legitimate, including the“refundable registration deposit” and a further $300,000 bond requirement later in the approval process, a structure that mirrors real contractor onboarding.

Funds were wired to an account at a digital bank in Abu Dhabi under the name of 'Emirates Flight Catering EKFC,' according to documents seen by Khaleej Times. How the fraudsters managed to open an account under such a name remains a mystery.

Responding to the case, an Emirates Flight Catering spokesperson said in an email to Khaleej Times: "Emirates Flight Catering has been alerted to recent fraudulent activity involving entities falsely impersonating our business. We are cooperating with the relevant authorities to investigate this matter and take appropriate legal action. We advise all suppliers and partners to exercise caution when approached for funds or sensitive information from unverified sources. As a policy, Emirates Flight Catering does not charge any fees for supplier registration. More information can be found on our website: "

The HR firm grew suspicious when follow-up communication abruptly stopped. A closer review of the email trail revealed several warning signs: none of the messages copied any EKFC staff, the domains used were misspelled variations of the official emiratesflightcatering, and the fraudsters applied relentless pressure to push through the transfer.

The victim, currently travelling abroad, has not yet filed a police complaint.

Cybersecurity firm Kaspersky , which shared the case with Khaleej Times, said the incident highlights how even seasoned businesses can be fooled when fraudsters exploit familiar processes and trick the users visually.

“Criminals often weaponise small details, like a misspelled domain or an urgent payment request, to trick victims into acting fast,” said Maher Yamout, lead security researcher at Kaspersky.“Business email compromise (BEC) attacks are among the costliest cyber threats globally, and the UAE is no exception.”

For users

• Always verify domains carefully before replying or transferring funds.

• Cross-check payment instructions by phone with known company contacts.

• Ensure more than one staff member signs off on large transfers.

• Verify the recipient's business details on DED Dubai.

For companies

• Introduce cybersecurity awareness training for employees and ensure trainings are held year-round.

• Deploy brand monitoring security services that can flag suspicious lookalike domains.

Business email compromise schemes are surging worldwide, with the FBI estimating global losses in the billions of dollars annually. Experts say that in a region like the Gulf, where procurement and vendor partnerships are common, fraudsters see fertile ground.

Kaspersky stressed that it was important for firms to promptly report such scams to the police and banks to improve chances of recovery and to protect other businesses from falling into the same trap.

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