Over MVR 200,000 lost to scams this week alone
25 ޖުލައި 2026 | ހޮނިހިރު 12:40Police have successfully recovered over MVR 180,000 out of more than MVR 250,000 lost in 43 scam cases reported this week, following swift intervention. Authorities continue to urge the public to remain vigilant against social media fraud by verifying the identity of sellers and refraining from making payments before receiving goods.
More than MVR 250,000 was lost across 43 reported scam cases; however, swift action by the police has successfully recovered MVR 180,000 of the stolen funds. | police
The Maldives Police Service has revealed that over MVR 200,000 has been lost to various scams within this week alone.
The Maldives Police Service's Anti-Scam Centre revealed in a Facebook post on Friday that a total of 43 scam cases were reported this week. These incidents resulted in a combined financial loss of MVR 254,517 (two hundred fifty-four thousand five hundred seventeen).
Police stated that these scams have utilized various platforms, including online messaging apps, iBay, phone calls, phishing links, and Facebook Marketplace.
Furthermore, the police service reported that 12 cases involving e-commerce scams have been filed. Additionally, the authorities received two reports related to currency exchange fraud, 14 cases of impersonation, and 15 cases involving various other types of fraudulent activity.
However, the police department stated that through swift intervention, they successfully recovered MVR 188,799.72 (one hundred eighty-eight thousand, seven hundred ninety-nine Rufiyaa and seventy-two Laari).
The Maldives Police Service has urged the public to verify the account numbers of recipients before transferring funds and to confirm the identity of individuals they interact with online to protect themselves from scams.
The police have also urged the public to exercise caution by avoiding payments before receiving purchased goods and to ensure the use of reliable and secure payment methods.
