In the UAE, offenders are increasingly turning to advanced AI tools to trick unsuspecting victims, automate fraudulent schemes, and accelerate the process of moving and disguising illegally obtained funds.
UAE: Criminals are exploiting AI to deceive individuals and speed up money-laundering activities.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly reshaping how criminal groups operate within the UAE, giving them access to far more sophisticated tools than ever before. A newly released analytical study examining digitally driven financial crime reveals that AI is now at the centre of many illicit operations. Criminals are using advanced technologies to build fraud-as-a-service platforms, create highly convincing AI-enhanced phishing systems, and run automated schemes designed to move illegal funds through complex channels with minimal human involvement. These developments show how quickly criminal activity is evolving as digital tools become more accessible and powerful.
The report, titled Anatomy of a Digital Threat, was produced by the General Secretariat of the National Anti-Money Laundering and Combatting the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation Financing Committee (NAMLCFTPFC) in partnership with the financial crime intelligence organisation Themis. The document highlights that AI acts as a significant accelerator for illegal activity, dramatically expanding the scale and efficiency of cyber-enabled financial crimes. Instead of relying on manual tactics, criminals can now automate large portions of their operations — from generating fake identities to crafting personalised scam messages and analysing systems for vulnerabilities.
According to the paper, AI’s ability to mimic human behaviour makes it especially dangerous in the hands of malicious actors. It enables them to deploy scams that are harder to detect, harder to trace, and far more convincing to potential victims. With machine-learning tools, fraudsters can personalise attacks, adjust strategies in real time, and process stolen financial data at speeds that would be impossible without automation.
The findings underscore a growing concern among UAE authorities: as AI becomes more embedded in digital ecosystems, financial criminals are gaining new opportunities to exploit it. This shift is pushing regulators, law-enforcement agencies, and private-sector institutions to strengthen defences and adapt quickly to an increasingly complex threat landscape.
The General Secretariat functions as the central authority in the UAE responsible for coordinating the nation’s strategies and policies related to Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Combating the Financing of Terrorism (CFT), and Countering Proliferation Financing (CPF). It plays a pivotal role in bringing together various stakeholders, including financial regulators, law enforcement bodies, and governmental institutions, into a single, cohesive framework. By acting as a bridge between these entities, the Secretariat ensures that efforts to detect, prevent, and respond to financial crimes are streamlined and consistent across all sectors.
Through its coordinating role, the Secretariat facilitates information sharing, policy development, and the implementation of best practices among different authorities. This integrated approach allows the UAE to maintain robust oversight over financial transactions, identify suspicious activities more effectively, and respond rapidly to emerging threats. Moreover, the Secretariat’s work supports the country’s compliance with international standards, ensuring that national policies align with global AML, CFT, and CPF requirements. By unifying the efforts of regulators, law enforcement, and government agencies, the General Secretariat strengthens the UAE’s ability to combat complex financial crimes and enhances the overall resilience of the nation’s financial system against illicit activity. Its centralised coordination role is essential in promoting a secure and transparent economic environment.
Themis, a global financial-crime intelligence firm powered by artificial intelligence, collaborates with both public institutions and private organisations around the world to uncover hidden threats, assess vulnerabilities, and enhance compliance systems. Their advanced analytical capabilities help organisations identify patterns and risks that may otherwise go undetected, providing critical insights into evolving methods of financial crime. By leveraging AI, Themis enables real-time monitoring and predictive analysis, offering stakeholders a proactive approach to mitigating fraud, money laundering, and other illicit financial activities.
The firm’s latest findings were unveiled at the 2025 edition of Abu Dhabi Finance Week, where the research paper served as the foundation for a high-profile panel discussion titled Criminal Code: Mapping the Cybercrime Economy. The presentation highlighted the growing prevalence of digitally enabled fraud schemes within the UAE, showing how criminal networks are increasingly integrating AI-generated content, cross-platform social engineering tactics, and automated processes to exploit victims while concealing the flow of illicit funds. The analysis reflects real-world cases involving UAE residents, where perpetrators employed synthetic identities, manipulated communication channels, and utilised virtual assets to launder money and evade detection.
Dr Ebrahim Al Alkeem, director of the National Risks and Policies Department at the General Secretariat, emphasised that the fast-paced evolution of cyber-enabled financial crime requires a coordinated national strategy. He stated that research like this plays a crucial role in informing the UAE’s broader National Risk Assessment (NRA) framework. By incorporating such intelligence, authorities can develop more cohesive, forward-looking policies and preventive measures, ensuring that responses to these complex threats are both comprehensive and adaptive. According to Dr Al Alkeem, a unified approach across regulators, law enforcement, and financial institutions is essential to protect the country’s financial ecosystem from increasingly sophisticated cybercriminal activity. This integration of data, analysis, and policy is vital for anticipating trends, mitigating risks, and maintaining the UAE’s position as a secure and well-regulated financial hub.
The recently published paper provides an in-depth examination of how criminal organisations are increasingly leveraging technology to execute complex financial crimes. According to the report, these networks are now routinely combining encrypted communication tools with virtual assets, automated transaction systems, and online marketplaces to carry out fraudulent schemes, traffic illicit goods, and transfer proceeds across international borders. The use of encryption and automation allows these actors to operate with greater speed, anonymity, and efficiency, making it increasingly difficult for authorities to detect and trace illegal activities. The analysis highlights how the digital transformation of crime has added layers of complexity to traditional financial offenses, requiring law enforcement and regulatory bodies to adapt and innovate at an equally rapid pace.
The paper also emphasises the UAE’s proactive approach in addressing these evolving threats. It details a series of ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening the country’s framework for Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Combating the Financing of Terrorism (CFT), and Counter-Proliferation Financing (CPF). Key initiatives include enhanced supervision of virtual-asset service providers, the introduction of stricter compliance requirements, and the expansion of cyber-intelligence capabilities across relevant government and private-sector institutions. These measures are aligned with recent federal legislation introduced this year, reflecting a commitment to ensuring that regulatory oversight keeps pace with technological innovation and emerging criminal tactics.
At the same time, the report draws attention to the rapid expansion of the UAE’s digital economy, which has become a double-edged sword. The country’s fintech sector is projected to reach $3.5 billion by 2025, reflecting robust growth and an influx of innovation. Additionally, cryptocurrency transactions in the UAE surpassed $34 billion in the past year alone, underscoring the increasing integration of digital assets into the national economy. While these trends contribute positively to economic development and innovation, they also increase the potential vulnerabilities within the financial system. The expanded digital ecosystem presents a larger attack surface that cybercriminals can exploit for money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing activities, necessitating constant vigilance and adaptive strategies.
Dickon Johnstone, CEO of Themis, stressed the urgency of responding to these fast-moving threats. He observed that criminal networks are adapting to technological advancements far more quickly than many organisations anticipate. According to Johnstone, as cyber-enabled financial crime accelerates, there is a pressing need for intelligence-driven, technology-based solutions that enable institutions to identify, prevent, and mitigate these risks effectively. The paper underscores that only by integrating advanced analytics, AI-powered monitoring, and real-time intelligence sharing can authorities and businesses stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated criminal actors in the UAE’s rapidly evolving financial landscape.
