Scam cases involving over MVR 400,000 reported in one week

The Anti-Scam Center of the Maldives Police Service (MPS) has revealed that 50 scam cases were reported to the center over the past week.

The center has published statistics of cases reported from June 29 to July 5.

According to the statistics, MVR 416,879.42 was lost during this period, of which MVR 114,276.42 has been recovered. This represents 27 percent of the lost funds.

Among the types of scams reported were 29 cases of e-commerce fraud, nine cases of currency exchange scams, three cases of impersonation, six cases of phishing, vishing, and job scams, and three miscellaneous cases.

The platforms used for these scams include phone calls, eBay, online messaging platforms, phishing links, and Facebook Marketplace.

The Anti-Scam Center urges the public to stay vigilant by verifying information before sending money, never sharing personal details, and enabling two-factor authentication on apps whenever possible to protect against fraud.

MPS has also established a special call center for reporting scam cases.

The Anti-Scam Center will centrally handle all necessary measures related to scam cases occurring throughout the country and coordinate with other relevant agencies. From the moment a case is reported to the call center, the Anti-Scam Center will work with financial institutions to take necessary actions and gather required information.

The police institution has stated that arrangements have been made to report scam-related issues both from within and outside the Maldives via the National Emergency number 911, Anti-Scam Hotline 125 extension 2020, and the Anti-Scam Center's email. As before, such cases can also be reported to centers established in the capital Malé City as well as outlying atolls.

The police also encourage anyone who falls victim to a scam to promptly report it to the authorities, providing all relevant transaction details to aid the investigation.