Prison-Originating Scam Calls Have Declined, Says Minister

Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusaan announced a marked decrease in scam calls originating from correctional facilities, attributing this improvement to new geo-fencing measures that block unauthorised calls within prison grounds.

Minister Ihsaan revealed that a recent operation targeting the smuggling of mobile devices into prisons led to the confiscation of a significant number of phones from inmates. He highlighted that while scam calls have already declined, further steps are being taken to reinforce security, including the installation of geo-fencing technology to prevent these calls at the source.

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Upon assuming office, the current administration found that screening procedures had been halted by prison staff. In response, the government has reinstated screenings and set up temporary metal detectors to aid the confiscation of contraband items. Minister Ihsaan added that a full-body scanning machine is now being procured to provide a lasting solution to this issue.

Additionally, police are intensifying their efforts to combat phone scams, with a focus on recovering funds lost to fraudulent activity. Minister Ihsaan shared that a specialised police unit is being established to concentrate on scam prevention, which is expected to improve the speed and effectiveness of fund recovery.

Scam calls often involve fraudsters impersonating officials, agencies, or companies to extort money from unsuspecting individuals. According to the Maldives Police Service, financial losses due to fraud and scams have reached over USD 846,000 so far this year.