As if James Dua-Wiafi and Stanley Kundishora’s widely reported ordeal wasn’t sufficient warning, a THIRD Londoner has just fallen prey to a rental car agency demanding £30,000 in return for his passport. When will this end?
Like many other Brits escaping strict lockdown measures, 23 year old plumber Nico Paraskeva, from Wembley, flew to Dubai on the 5th of January for a mini-break in the sun, where cafes and venues remain open. Nico and his friend rented a luxury Bentley for their fun in the sun. A day before their return to London life, things took a turn for the worse when Nico’s friend was driving the car alone and a bottle of water became jammed underneath the brakes, causing an accident. The car damage was mostly concentrated to the wheel, but Nico’s friend went to hospital for stitches. A report was filed with the police and it was deemed a “no fault” accident. Nico expected to have to come up with the excess fees for the agency, but was stunned when the agency demanded AED 150,000 (approximately £30,000) for the return of his passport. “It’s unbelievable. The car agency said we’d have to pay rental car fees for the entire time it takes to fix the car and have it back in action again”, Nico told Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai who is representing him. “After the stunning demand for £30,000 pounds, their friends began researching and came across the case of James and Stanley, who we also represented. It was a different rental car agency, but almost the same demand: Give us an extortionate amount of money or we will hold your passport and keep you hostage in our country. “Nico’s girlfriend called. She hadn’t slept, beside herself with worry and his mother, who suffers from health problems, has been terribly stressed. They simply do not have 150,000 dirhams to give in to the demands of the car agency, and nor should they. “This is the second time in a matter of weeks that we have seen British citizens targeted by rental car companies in Dubai, illegally seizing their passports, and essentially holding them ransom. Obviously, Nico is not responsible for paying rental costs for the car during its repair; rather than simply accepting for their costs to be covered, the company is trying to make a profit from a blameless accident that put someone in hospital, and threatening Nico with a potential civil case which could leave him stranded in the UAE indefinitely. “When Nico approached the British Embassy for advice and assistance, they discouraged him from publicising his plight, despite the fact that James and Stanley were only freed to return to the UK last November precisely because of the media campaign we launched on their behalf. We understand that consular staff are communicating with the car agency, and we hope this outreach bears fruit, but it is irresponsible, in my view, for the embassy to warn citizens to keep quiet about injustices they face in the UAE. Frankly, this is something we have learned the embassy does routinely, and in our experience, it inevitably prolongs rather than helps resolve issues Brits endure with the Emirates’ legal system.”
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Radha Stirling founded Detained in Dubai in 2008 and has since helped and advised more than 15,000 foreign nationals facing trouble in the UAE. Stirling is an expert witness, civil and criminal justice specialist, legislative, investment risk, business and policy advisor to the public and private sectors, speaker and host of the Gulf in Justice Podcast, covering the region in depth.
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It's truly heartbreaking and infuriating to read about yet another instance of such scams in Dubai, targeting innocent people just trying to navigate their lives and responsibilities. It really leaves one wondering how these individuals could stoop so low and commit such deplorable acts.
A big part of the issue lies in the lack of consumer protection for rental car users, which leaves them vulnerable to such unscrupulous schemes. Even though Dubai has a reputation for luxury and innovation, it seems there's still much to be done in the realm of ensuring fairness and safety for all who visit or reside in this vibrant city.
It's stories like these that make it even more crucial for people to ensure they're…