Suspect Arrested for Defrauding Victim of MVR 50,000 via Phishing Link
Police have arrested a 38-year-old male from Malé for allegedly stealing MVR 50,000 from an individual’s bank account through a fraudulent link sent via Viber. The suspect, who also reportedly contacted the victim through Facebook Messenger, has been remanded in custody for 15 days as investigations continue. In light of the increasing prevalence of such scams, authorities have urged the public to remain vigilant and exercise caution before clicking on unsolicited links.
A photo taken outside the Shaheed Hussain Adam Building, police headquarters | RaajjeMV
A suspect has been arrested for allegedly defrauding a victim of MVR 50,000 from their bank account via a malicious link sent through Viber.
Police announced on Wednesday that 38-year-old Moosa Mohamed, of M. Omega, Male', was taken into custody on October 2nd in connection with the case.
Police stated that when the individual was produced before the court to determine their custodial status regarding the case, the court ordered them to be remanded in custody for 15 days.
Furthermore, police stated that investigations revealed Moosa Mohamed established contact with the victim via Facebook Messenger on April 24. According to the police, the victim clicked on a link sent by Moosa Mohamed via Viber, which caused the phone to reset and resulted in the unauthorized withdrawal of MVR 50,000 from the victim's bank account. Police confirmed that the funds were transferred directly into an account registered under Moosa Mohamed's name.
The police are currently investigating the matter.
Incidents of financial fraud involving deceptive links have seen a significant rise recently. Consequently, the police have urged the public to remain vigilant and exercise special caution regarding such scams.
