Over MVR 1M lost to scams in January, only MVR 630,310 recovered

Maldives Police Service statistics show that scam-related losses exceeded MVR 1 million in January, of which just MVR 630,310 had been recovered.

According to the statistics disclosed by the Police, 189 cases on scam-related monetary losses were reported to the authority in January. While these cases saw the loss of MVR 1.7 million in total, only MVR 630,310 has been recovered so far. The Police said the full amount lost was recovered for only 52 victims, while 11 others received only partial recoveries.

Scam remains prominent in the Maldives where culprits use various tactics to fraudulently obtain money. The majority of scam cases reported in January pertained to e-commerce scams at 109, followed by currency exchange scams at 36. The third-most commonly reported scams in January involved impersonation of other individuals.

Platforms used to carry out these scams include phone calls, iBay, online messaging applications, phishing links and Facebook Marketplace.

The Police have advised the public to remain vigilant regarding scams.

Notably, the Police Anti-Scam Centre has recently cautioned the public over increased scams disguised as appeals for emergency medical assistance. In this regard, the Police detailed that scammers are increasingly using fabricated medical stories and emotional appeals to solicit money.