The Maldives Police Service has reported that more than MVR 270,000 has been recovered from scam cases reported so far this month, according to statistics released by the Police Anti-Scam Centre.
Between the first and seventh day of the month, 55 scam cases were reported, with total reported losses amounting to MVR 494,712.70. Of this amount, MVR 270,070.40 has been successfully recovered.
The majority of cases were related to e-commerce or online trading, with 27 incidents recorded in this category. The full breakdown of reported cases is as follows:
- E-commerce scams: 27 cases
- Phishing, vishing and job scams: 0 cases
- Money laundering related cases: 7 cases
- Fraud involving impersonation to obtain money: 14 cases
- Other cases: 7 cases
Police noted that scammers most commonly use phone calls, Viber, online messaging platforms, phishing links and Facebook Marketplace to target victims.
Authorities have urged the public to verify the authenticity of individuals before making any payments to avoid falling victim to scams. They also recommended not sharing personal information and enabling two-factor authentication on applications as key protective measures.
The Police emphasised that scammers often succeed when victims delay reporting incidents. Prompt reporting significantly increases the chances of recovering lost money.
Scam cases can be reported through the National Emergency Call Centre by calling 911 or 125 (extension 2020), or by emailing [email protected].