Dubai court orders woman to return 100,000 dirhams mistakenly sent to her account

A Dubai court has ordered an Asian national to return 100,000 dirhams (approximately $27,200 USD) that were mistakenly deposited into her bank account. The funds were transferred via an ATM after the sender entered an incorrect beneficiary account number.

The plaintiff, who made the erroneous transfer in January 2025, contacted the woman after realizing the mistake. The woman acknowledged the incident but claimed she was outside the UAE and that her account was blocked. She also indicated that she later sought to return the money, but the court found her actions insufficient to avoid legal repercussions.

Consequently, the Dubai Civil Court ruled that the woman must return the full amount. Additionally, she is required to pay legal interest of 5% per annum, calculated from the date the judicial claim was filed until the entire sum is repaid. The court's decision emphasizes the legal obligation to return funds that have been erroneously credited to an account, even if the recipient acknowledges the error.