MVR 118,000 lost to scams last week; MVR 164,000 recovered

Statistics from the Maldives Police Service shows that a total of 36 scam-related cases were reported between June 7 and June 13, where victims incurred financial losses amounting to MVR 118,370.05.

Through the proactive measures taken by the Police Anti-Scam Centre and other relevant authorities, MVR 164,240.60 was successfully recovered during the previous week. Police stated that this figure includes funds recovered from both newly reported cases and cases reported earlier.

According to the statistics, e-commerce scams involving online shopping were the most commonly reported, with 26 cases filed. The reports also included five cases of online fraud, four impersonation scams, and one case involving fraudulent foreign currency exchange.

The police stated that these scams are primarily carried out through online messaging platforms, telephone calls, and fraudulent links. A considerable number of these incidents were also found to have been conducted through platforms such as iBay and Facebook Marketplace.

Relevant authorities have called on the public to remain increasingly cautious while engaging in online shopping and financial transactions. The Anti-Scam Centre advised citizens to exercise caution when interacting with unknown individuals and stressed the importance of verifying information before placing trust in any online communication.

To protect themselves from such scams, the police have advised the public not to access suspicious links and have strongly cautioned against sharing One-Time Passwords (OTP) or credit card information with others. The Anti-Scam Centre further urged individuals to verify any suspicious activity directly through official applications or websites.