Man arrested on suspicion of aiding inmate scamming people from jail

A man has been arrested and remanded in custody for 30 days on suspicions of aiding an inmate scamming people from prison.

The suspect has been identified as a 33-year-old Maldivian man from Addu City’s HIthadhoo district.

He is accused of aiding an inmate in carrying out fraudulent financial transactions from prison.

According to the remand order, he provided the inmate with bank account details belonging to friends, for the movement of illegally obtained funds.

The order further states that a mobile phone connected to the case was found in the suspect’s possession, and the device’s IMEI number matches the one used by the inmate to communicate. Additionally, CCTV footage reportedly shows the suspect taking part in transactions to withdraw the funds and receiving the mobile phone involved in the offense.

Based on this evidence, the court ordered that he be held in custody for 30 days.

On June 21, 2024, the Minister of Homeland Security and Technology, Ali Ihusaan, highlighted that scam calls aimed at defrauding individuals are often orchestrated by inmates. He noted that steps are being taken to prevent prohibited items, including mobile phones, from being smuggled into correctional facilities.

In response to questions from Sun regarding the use of signal jammers—commonly used in other countries to combat prison-based scams—a ministry official stated last September that such devices frequently disrupt telecommunications signals in Maafushi and surrounding areas. Therefore, the official said the Ministry is working on introducing advanced body scanners as an alternative security measure.

However, technical specialists have stated that there are different types of signal jammers available that can be adjusted to block selected frequency bands as needed. They also explained that such devices can be strategically positioned to limit mobile network coverage to designated areas within a prison.

There are also serious allegations that scam calls originating from prisons occur with the involvement of certain prison officers and their superiors, who are accused of facilitating the smuggling of mobile phones into the facilities. Reportedly, different phone brands are smuggled in for various rates, turning the practice into a highly profitable illegal activity for some officers.

These fraudulent operations, designed to deceive individuals for financial gain, have led to losses amounting to millions of rufiyaa, stripping many people of their hard-earned savings.