Dubai can be unpredictable, to say the least. One Instagram influencer, Aaina Pahwa, recently found herself amid a scam situation in Dubai that left her second-guessing everything. Was she scammed, or did she just try to help someone in need? Her story quickly blew up online, and netizens aren’t holding back. Apparently, she’s not alone.
This Dubai Influencer Recalls An Incident That Talks About A Money Scam
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It all started while she was just waiting for a taxi, nothing fancy, nothing dramatic. Then this man walks up, says his mother’s sick, needs urgent medicine. She shows him something that looks like a prescription, part Arabic, part digital stamp on his phone. Pointed at a nearby pharmacy.
She hesitated. Honestly, she felt weird about it, like… something’s off here. But she went along anyway. At the pharmacy, the prescription was checked. The medicine? Not dangerous. Could it be resold? Yep. She handed over 365 dirhams (around $100). And the guy? Didn’t even say thanks. Just walked off.
Later, a taxi driver tells her straight: “I hope you didn’t give him any money. This is a scam.” Ouch. That sudden reality check? Brutal. One minute you’re trying to help, the next minute you’re questioning your life choices.
Inside The Mind Of Someone Helping
To be fair, her feelings were mixed. She wanted to help, yet part of her feared being manipulated. In practice, situations like this blur the line between compassion and caution. Come on, we all know how confusing it is when real need collides with potential fraud.
Netizens Share Their Own Encounters
The story struck a chord online. Netizens shared experiences that were just as jaw-dropping.
Makeupby__chandni says that she faced something similar in supermarket yesterday! He said he lost his wallet, and if we could buy him food, it’s so confusing whether it’s real or not.” Nothingspecificwithnaks confirmed that it was 100% scam. He had random people come up to me with empty bags, prescriptions, and literal bottles of medicines that are empty. I just say no and try to walk away. giselle_diaries says it happened to them literally last month in DIFC. Once they paid the pharmacy AED400, the woman walked so fast, I couldn’t even track her.”
Others offered sympathy, reminding everyone that intentions matter, even if the outcome was stressful or costly.
Also Read: Dubai Mein Humare Paise Doob Gaye!’ Archana Puran Singh’s Family Falls Victim For Skydiving Scam
What To Take Away
Scams aren’t everywhere in Dubai, but these stories prove that women alone are often targeted. Compassion is instinctive, but a little caution goes a long way.
Whether she was scammed or not, the influencer’s story is a reminder: trust your gut, verify before acting, and know that helping someone isn’t a crime, just sometimes a gamble. Because, honestly? In Dubai, like anywhere else, kindness and reality don’t always line up neatly.
Cover Image Courtesy: Aaina Pahwa/ Instagram
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