More than MVR 1 million was lost to scams in December alone, according to the Maldives Police Service.

Police statistics show that 179 scam-related cases were reported during the month. Of these, funds were fully recovered in 89 cases, while partial recoveries were made in a further 45 cases.

The most common types of scams reported in December were e-commerce scams, accounting for 80 cases. This was followed by fraud involving money obtained from another person, with 44 cases, and currency exchange scams, which accounted for 31 cases. Phishing and job-related scams made up 16 cases, while eight cases fell under other categories.

Data released by the Police Anti-Scam Centre shows that scammers most frequently used phone calls, eBay, online messaging platforms, phishing links and Facebook Marketplace to target victims.

Police have urged the public to remain vigilant and take preventive measures to protect themselves from scams. These include verifying the authenticity of individuals before transferring money, avoiding the sharing of personal or financial information, and enabling two-factor authentication on applications where available.

Authorities also stressed the importance of reporting scam cases promptly, noting that swift reporting significantly increases the chances of recovering lost funds.

Members of the public can report fraud and scam-related cases by calling the National Emergency Call Centre on 911 or 125 (extension 2020), or by emailing [email protected].