Dubai is seeing a surge in rental scams targeting new expats. Scammers pose as landlords or agents offering luxury apartments at low prices. But they skip a key step: Ejari registration. Ejari is Dubai’s official system for registering tenancy contracts with the government. Without it, tenants have no legal protection. "Phantom landlords" may double-rent homes or disappear with deposits. Without Ejari, expats cannot activate electricity or water with DEWA, register for phone or internet, or complete visa processes. George, an expat, found this out the hard way after signing a lease without Ejari. His utilities were blocked and his visa stalled. Landlords are supposed to register Ejari, but often tenants do it or pay agents instead. If Ejari is not done, tenants risk getting stuck without services. Also, if landlords try unfair rent hikes or evictions, tenants without Ejari have no legal standing at the Rental Dispute Settlement Centre. Many expats wrongly think a signed lease is enough. It is not. Only an Ejari-registered contract is official. This simple registration protects tenants and their money in Dubai’s growing rental market. It takes only about 30 minutes but can save thousands of dirhams in losses.