Indian Woman Wins Free Apartment In Dubai, Initially Thought It Was "Scam"

Ayesha Amir, a 27-year-old woman from Kerala, India, got the shock of her life when she found out she'd won a fully paid apartment, Khaleej Times reported. She entered a city-wide retail raffle, the 'Win Your Home in Dubai' draw, after spotting QR codes in a mall and on social media. The draw, organised by Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment and Dubai Chambers, lets shoppers enter by spending Dh500 at participating outlets, scanning a QR code, and uploading their receipt. Luxury developer Binghatti is providing around 12 apartments for winners, with one announced each week until August 30.

"I filled in the details, and then I got a call on Friday telling me that you've won this home," Ameer told Khaleej Times. "Initially, I was thinking that it's some kind of scam, and then they sent me an email with all the details."

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She and her husband had been considering buying a place earlier this year but put plans on hold due to regional tensions. The win came as a surprise.

"I really never thought that I would win something like that. You see all these people winning stuff, you feel happy for them, but you feel like it never happens to you. And then when something like this happens to you, you actually realise that you can just get lucky and Dubai does this to you," she added.

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Officials say the mechanics are simple - shop, scan, upload - and over 1,000 brands across 4,000 outlets are taking part. For Ameer, it turned a casual mall visit into a life-changing moment she never saw coming.

"Dubai always comes back stronger. And it will continue to come back stronger. With these types of initiatives, it's more of a celebration of the community," Mohammed Feras Arayqat, the Acting Vice President of Retail Calendar and Promotions at Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), said as quoted in the report.