Over MVR 126,000 stolen in scams last week

Over MVR 126,000 was stolen in scams last week, according to statistics released by the police.

According to the police, the agency received reports of 23 cases of scam over the one-week period from May 24-30.

The scams resulted in the loss of MVR 126,489, out of which the police successfully recovered MVR 52,346.35.

The highest number of scams involved e-commerce, with 17 such cases reported during the period.

The 23 cases of scams reported include:

• E-commerce: 17 cases
• Currency exchange: 4 cases
• Other: 2 cases

Meanwhile, the most common mediums used to run the scams included online messaging platforms, iBay, phone calls, phishing links, and Facebook Marketplace.

Noting the high number of scams involving e-commerce transactions, the police urged the public to check if the registered business details match the selling items, verify the location of stores or godowns, and stick to cash on delivery.

The police also advised the public to call the official licensed business landline to confirm Viber or WhatsApp numbers are real before engaging in currency exchange transactions.

The police also urged people to report scam cases as soon as possible for a better chance at recovering their money.