Police Record 53 Scam Cases Last Week, Recover MVR 270,000

The Maldives Police Service recorded 53 scam cases last week, recovering MVR 269,631.27 through investigations, equivalent to 56.73 per cent of the MVR 475,275.76 reported lost.

Police statistics show that an average of seven scam cases were reported each day during the week. The police described the recovery as progress in efforts to prevent financial crimes and protect public funds and property.

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E-commerce scams accounted for the largest share of reported cases, with 22 cases, followed by foreign currency exchange scams with 12 cases. Nine cases were categorised as other scams, while seven involved booking cancellation refund scams and three involved impersonation fraud.

Police said online messaging platforms, iBay, phone calls, phishing links and Facebook Marketplace were among the platforms and methods commonly used to carry out scams. According to police statistics, 99 per cent of scams are conducted through social media platforms, with Facebook Marketplace alone accounting for 95 per cent.

Police have urged the public not to click on suspicious links or share confidential information, including one-time passwords (OTPs). People who fall victim to scams have been advised to report them promptly by calling 125.