No, they didn't keep it. I'm a resident there, so that might have helped when I said I'll escalate it further. I mentioned DED, my attorney, and a few other things where I would ask for︀ all my expenses to be taken care of in case I have to travel to︁ Dubai to deal with it. Airplane ticket, my attorney time, hotel, etc., not just the︂ deposit.
When I was with family in Dubai, they also didn't have to leave their︃ passport or cc at the rental car company office. Some funds were on hold on︄ a CC that was returned once they returned the car or something like that, but︅ it was some big respectable brand.
I think people should be more careful while leaving︆ such important documents at any place when they travel. They can scan it, but you︇ should never leave it there imo.
If something feels off, it's probably best to walk︈ away and find another company to deal with. Whether it's a car rental or something︉ else... I didn't do that and had to deal with scammers and waste my time︊ and energy on them later on. I was lucky enough to outsmart them and I︋ travel often to Dubai. Tourists who come just once from far away, can very often︌ forget about their money.
