A 13-year-old Arab boy in Dubai reportedly became the key to identifying multiple victims in an online exploitation case after he was targeted by an adult man through an online game. The man allegedly offered in-game privileges in return for personal photographs, gradually escalating his demands to include pictures of the boy’s sister.
The boy’s concern over these requests prompted him to inform his guardian, who then reported the matter to Dubai Police. Following the complaint, authorities uncovered nine additional children who had been approached by the same individual but had not reported the incidents. The case has been formally referred to the Public Prosecution for further investigation, according to a Dubai Police official speaking at a cyber safety awareness session held on Monday.
Lieutenant Colonel Abdullah Al Shehhi, Director of the Cybercrime Department at the General Department of Criminal Investigation, highlighted the risks children face when engaging with online games. Speaking at a forum organised by Dubai Police in partnership with Meta to mark Cybersecurity Awareness Month, he explained how criminals exploit children’s interests in games to gain their trust, which is then used to make inappropriate or exploitative requests.
“Reporting is protection for you and protection for others,” Lieutenant Colonel Al Shehhi emphasized, urging families not to rely solely on blocking suspicious accounts but to report such interactions through official channels. He warned that conversations about shared interests like games or hobbies can quickly lead to offers of upgrades or special privileges, which may disguise attempts to obtain personal information or images. Children, he noted, may not always understand the intentions of the person they are communicating with or be aware of their true identity.
Authorities advised parents to actively monitor the online games their children play, maintain awareness of their interactions, and educate children on the risks of sharing personal details or images with strangers. Children are encouraged to approach trusted adults if they encounter threats, pressure to share images, or are asked to move conversations to different platforms.
Police also urged parents to preserve any evidence of suspected exploitation, such as screenshots and account usernames, to assist investigations. While blocking accounts can help prevent immediate contact, reporting suspected offences is critical for identifying and protecting other potential victims.
Present at the cyber safety forum were Lieutenant Colonel Abdullah Al Shehhi, Major Khalid Talhak, Deputy Director for Monitoring and Security Programmes; Captain Saeed Adel Al Suwaidi, Head of the Electronic Monitoring Section; and Lieutenant Ahmed Abdullah Al Shehhi, all of whom contributed to the discussions on online safety and crime prevention.