Fraudsters posing as Dubai business owners have disappeared after stealing goods worth hundreds of thousands of dirhams, but an unlikely clue from an email drafted with ChatGPT may expose their identity.

The gang, operating under the name of a foodstuff company based in Bur Dubai, reportedly bought tonnes of food items from traders across the UAE using post-dated cheques and fake payment advices . Before the cheques could be cleared, they shut shop and went underground, leaving many suppliers in shock.

Traders now believe that a simple slip-up in a ChatGPT-generated email could lead them to the culprits.

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The email, sent by a woman identifying herself as Ayesha, a supposed sales representative of the now-defunct company, turned out to be her undoing. In an effort to sound“more professional,” she had used ChatGPT to polish her message before sending it to a supplier. But the AI-generated version carried a traceable username and timestamp that likely linked back to her real identity, revealing what may be the first digital breadcrumb in the case.

“It's a dead giveaway,” said Dubai-based businesswoman Sathya, whose firm, Sathya Mohan Trading LLC, supplied 10 tonnes of red chilli powder worth Dh293,000 to the company.“I was communicating with someone calling herself Ayesha, but it's now clear that wasn't her real name,” she said, showing the email in question.

It began with:“Certainly, [a different name], here's a more formal and polished version of the confirmation reply.” The rest of the email went on to acknowledge receipt of correspondence and acceptance of terms and conditions - an exchange that, at the time, appeared completely legitimate.

For legal reasons, Khaleej Times is withholding the name of the woman and the company until the ongoing police investigation is concluded.

Sathya, who arranged the shipment from her hometown in Tamil Nadu, said the consignment was sent through Cochin Port and released from Jebel Ali after she handed over the original bill of lading on September 29 against a payment advice of $79,800.

“When I took it to the bank, they told me the payment advice was fake,” she recalled.“I rushed to their office, but it was too late. They had already shut down.”

Since then, Sathya and her husband have been running from pillar to post trying to trace their goods.“All phone numbers associated with the company are switched off. The only clue we're left with is this ChatGPT mistake,” she said, holding a printout of the email.

Another trader in Dubai's Al Ras area, who also filed a police complaint, said he lost Dh70,000 worth of peanuts in a similar deal.“They gave me a post-dated cheque which later bounced,” he said, requesting anonymity.“When I went to their office, it was locked. The watchman told me several traders had been coming there, all looking for the same people.”

“It's still early days,” he added,“but from what I hear, the number could easily run into dozens.”

Yet another Dubai-based supplier said they lost Dh18,900 worth of green tea after delivering goods against post-dated cheques that also bounced.“We've filed a police complaint and are now waiting for updates,” said a company representative.

The case mirrors several scams previously reported by Khaleej Times, where firms posing as legitimate businesses obtained goods and services on credit and then disappeared. In July, for instance, a company called RAK Marine Services allegedly pulled off a multi-million-dirham fraud after securing bulk orders with post-dated cheques and forged documents, before vacating its Deira offices. The firm and its sister concerns left behind unpaid dues exceeding Dh25 million and a long list of defrauded suppliers, from food distributors and electronics dealers to travel agencies.

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