The suspects would call mobile numbers randomly and convince them that they had won a grand prize from a well-known company in the UAE.
The Sharjah Police on Sunday arrested seven Bangladeshis involved in several phone scams.
A top police official said the Asian suspects, who were staying in the country illegally, would contact mobile numbers selected at random and convince the phone user that he/she had won a grand prize from a well-known company in the UAE. They would then ask the victims to transfer phone credit worth thousands of dirhams to claim their prize. Many victims transferred credit and when they realised they had been cheated, they contacted the police.
The police formed a team from the Criminal Investigation Department, who located the suspects and arrested them. The police seized 341 sim cards from Etisalat and Du and 40 mobile phones from the scene.