What many newcomers to the sandpit don't realize is that once you have a loan or a CC in the UAE, you might already have one foot in jail.
This is because, in order to secure the loan amount or CC limit, most banks ask you to sign a blank cheque (or one to cover the loan amount or CC limit). This is then presented to your bank in the case of default. So far, so good.
However, you can have a nasty surprise when this cheque suddenly appears from nowhere. A friend of mine was out of the UAE (having been sent to India for almost three months by his company). When his bank called his workplace to try and sell him some other product, the switchboard told the caller that 'Mr X has left the country'. Result: car loan called in by means of cashing his security cheque. Insufficient funds in account, cheque bounced (criminal offence in UAE), he lands in jail the minute he arrives at DXB again. Took him more than a week in jail before his case was heard and finally settled.
Watch out!