Youth arrested with USD 1,250; accused of running multiple social media scams

A youth has been arrested from Hulhumale’ on suspicion of scamming multiple people out of money using social media platforms.

In a statement on Sunday, the police said that Mohamed Shavin, 23, Manzaruge, B. Thulhaadhoo, was arrested from Hulhumale’ in an operation run by the Anti-Scam Center’s Rapid Response Unit, following a report lodged with the police on Thursday.

According the police, the report was lodged by the victim who sold USD 1,250 to someone he found on a Viber group on money exchange, but failed to get the MVR in exchange for the dollars he sold.

Shavin was apprehended by the police on his way back after collecting the USD 1,250 in Hulhumale’.

The police said they subsequently recovered the USD 1,250 from him, as well as additional money believed to have been stolen in a separate scam case.

Shavin has been remanded in custody of the police for 10 days.

The police said their investigation uncovered that Shavin used various social platforms to scam multiple people out of money under the pretense of providing various services, including foreign exchange services and sale of goods. According to police, he made his victims transfer the money to bank accounts registered to various businesses. He then contacted these businesses and have them hand over the money in cash or even goods of equal value.

The police have urged both members of the general public as well as businesses to be vigilant regarding such scams.