Public urged to remain vigilant as medical scams involving fraudulent patient appeals rise
The tactics employed by these scammers include sourcing and utilizing photos of patients obtained from the internet and various international websites.
Police have urged the public to remain vigilant as the number of reported scam cases continues to rise. | Security Magazine | security magazine
The Maldives Police Service has urged the public to remain vigilant following a recent surge in fraudulent Facebook activities, where scammers use photos of patients to solicit illicit medical donations.
The police Cyber Crime Centre has reported a significant surge in such cases recently, warning that many of these posts are scams designed to obtain money through fraudulent means.
The center noted that the tactics employed by these scammers include using photos of patients sourced from the internet and various international websites.
Furthermore, authorities noted that scammers employ tactics such as exploiting public sympathy by fabricating stories about sick children or individuals with chronic illnesses. It was also highlighted that these perpetrators often refuse to answer direct phone calls to the numbers provided in their posts, preferring instead to communicate solely through text messages.
Consequently, the Police Cyber Crime Department has urged the public to remain vigilant regarding such matters. In this regard, the police have advised verifying all information before transferring any funds and using tools such as "Google Reverse Image Search" to confirm the authenticity of photos. Furthermore, authorities have cautioned the public to refrain from sharing unverified posts.
Police statistics indicate that the majority of scams are conducted through e-commerce platforms. To streamline the reporting process for such incidents, the police have established an Anti-Scam Center and designated 125 as the official reporting hotline.
