Over MVR 1 Million Lost to Scams in December, Police Report

The Maldives Police Service has reported that over MVR 1 million was lost to scams in December alone. The Anti-Scam Center stated that 179 cases were reported during the month, with 89 cases fully resolved and the money recovered. An additional 45 cases saw partial recovery of funds.

E-commerce was the sector most affected, with 80 cases reported. Other scams included 44 cases of deception, 31 involving the swiping of funds in the name of money exchange, 16 cases of phishing, vishing, and job scams, and 16 additional cases recorded by the centre. The total losses from these scams amounted to more than MVR 1.9 million.

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Despite the losses, over MVR 4 million was recovered during December, which also included funds lost in scams from November. Since its establishment, the Anti-Scam Center has received 1,663 reports, recovering MVR 8.5 million, while total losses reached MVR 22.7 million.

The centre has increased its awareness campaigns on social media, urging the public to avoid clicking on suspicious links, verify the identity of individuals and businesses before financial transactions, and refrain from transferring funds until goods are received. The centre has also emphasised checking that businesses have a valid Maldives Monetary Authority licence when exchanging money.