'Snapchat charmer' snared by Dubai police after conning followers

A man has been arrested in Dubai for creating fake Snapchat accounts with women's names to trick young people into sending him money and gifts, Gulf News reported.

The Gulf national, nicknamed the "Snapchat charmer", created five Snapchat accounts and tricked more than 50 people, said Brigadier Jamal al-Jallaf, director of Criminal Investigation Department at Dubai Police.

"The man has a decent job and salary but he wanted to get more money and take advantage of social media platforms by posing as women on Snapchat to lure youngsters," Brigadier al-Jallaf said.

The suspect had been committing fraud for two years, until a girl whose picture he had used for the accounts, reported the incident through an e-crime platform.

He developed programmes to upload pictures and speak with the victims, fostering romantic relationships by pretending to be a woman.

"He create five fake accounts of girls. We named him the 'Snapchat charmer'," Brig Al Jallaf added.

Dubai police has urged people to exercise caution on social media. The suspect has been transferred to transferred to Dubai Public Prosecution.