Surveillance cameras outside a home in the UAE revealed an unusual incident where a domestic worker was seen handing her salary to an unknown individual waiting outside, highlighting an informal method of sending money abroad.

Residents reported that unidentified individuals frequently visit residential areas to collect domestic workers’ salaries, then coordinate with contacts in their home countries to deliver equivalent amounts to families in local currency without any official bank transfer.

Some workers prefer this method due to faster delivery, zero transfer fees, and better exchange rates compared to banks or licensed exchange houses.

However, legal experts warned that repeatedly collecting and transferring money for a fee constitutes an unlicensed financial activity, even without direct bank transfers.

These practices bypass regulatory oversight, making it difficult to verify the source and destination of funds and potentially enabling crimes such as money laundering.

Experts also cautioned that employers could be implicated if they transfer salaries to unknown accounts, even with good intentions, especially if those accounts are later linked to illegal activities.

In a recent case, a Sharjah court ordered the deportation of an Asian man instead of sentencing him to one year in prison after convicting him of operating an unlicensed money transfer business, with authorities confiscating the money and tools used.

UAE laws strictly prohibit conducting financial activities without a license from the Central Bank, with penalties including imprisonment and fines ranging from AED 50,000 to hundreds of millions.

Authorities urge residents to avoid dealing with unknown intermediaries, refrain from using personal bank accounts for unclear transactions, and rely only on official channels such as banks or licensed exchange companies.