July 25, 2025 | Dubai, UAE: A piece of Dubai’s history could vanish soon. The Dubai oldest laundry shop, Bait Al Abyad Cloth Pressing, is struggling to stay open after its owner fell victim to an online scam and lost Dh34,000 in the process.
The quaint shop, tucked in Jumeirah 1, has been a silent witness to the city’s transformation since 1978. But today, the sound of steam presses and rustling laundry bags is being replaced by uncertainty and heartbreak.
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A Heritage Business Now on the Brink
Ravi Verma, the 35-year-old who runs the Dubai oldest laundry shop, looked visibly shaken as he held up bounced rent cheques, one for the shop, another for his family’s home. “I’ve let everyone down,” “The scam didn’t just take my savings. It’s taken my peace, my family’s future, and possibly my father-in-law’s legacy,” said Verma.
It all started in early June, when Verma received a friendly WhatsApp message from a woman named ‘Ria’, promising an easy online side job. Within days, he was hooked. “I thought I was being smart, earning quick money alongside running the shop,” he said. What followed was a spiral of small tasks, trust-building tricks, and ultimately, large payments to supposed “mentors” who kept promising higher returns.
But there were no returns. No payouts. No mentors. Just silence and Dh34,000 gone.
From Laundry Loads to Telegram Traps
The Dubai oldest laundry shop was built on discipline, routine, and honest work. Now, Verma finds himself caught in a whirlwind of digital deceit.
He was added to a Telegram group with 45 others and given tasks like adding products to carts or clicking on links, each earning Dh5. “It felt harmless. And frankly, with inflation, every dirham counts,” he said. But soon, he was told he made a “mistake” in a task and needed to correct it by completing more, with deposits.
From Dh120 to Dh5,890, then Dh10,800, the amounts kept increasing. “It was like a game you couldn’t leave without losing everything. I was desperate to get my money back,” Verma admitted.
When the scammers asked him to pay Dh18,000 to ‘restore his credit score’, reality hit. He was removed from the group chat. “That’s when I realised it was all fake.”
Family Legacy at Risk
More than the money, it’s the emotional weight that’s crushing Verma. “The Dubai oldest laundry shop isn’t just a business. It’s my family’s story. My father-in-law started this place when Dubai barely had high-rises. And now, I might be the one to shut its doors.”
He has filed a police complaint, submitted details of the Telegram group, account numbers, and chats. But the losses are real and pressing. Verma now contemplates sending his family back to India as rent dues pile up.
“I’ve always believed in hard work. But one wrong step online, and it’s all falling apart,” he said, barely holding back tears.
Online Scams on the Rise, How to Stay Safe
The story of the Dubai oldest laundry shop is not an isolated one. Dubai Police and cybersecurity experts have repeatedly warned against task-based online scams. These scams typically lure victims with promises of easy income and escalate into large financial losses.
Last year, a hotel employee in Dubai lost Dh66,000 in a similar scam like the Dubai oldest laundry shop scam. Security firm CloudSEK estimates global losses from these frauds exceed Dh400 million.
Here’s what to watch for:
- Ignore WhatsApp or Telegram job offers that come out of nowhere.
- Never pay money to earn money, it’s a red flag every time.
- Verify employers through their official websites or LinkedIn.
- Don’t click suspicious links or download unknown apps.
- Report incidents immediately to local authorities or cybercrime portals.
If a hardworking man like Verma running the Dubai oldest laundry shop can fall prey, anyone can.
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