The Maldives Police Service has strongly denied allegations circulating on social media that a police officer was involved in a scam in which a hacked Viber account was used to extort money.

The allegations stem from a widely shared social media post, which accused an officer of being complicit in the scam and included a photograph of the accused officer. In an official statement, the Maldives Police Service clarified that their investigation has found no evidence linking any police personnel to the fraudulent activities.

The scam involved hacking into an individual’s Viber account, which was then used to deceive the victim’s acquaintances into transferring money. According to the police, three related cases have also emerged during the investigation. A total of MVR 10,100 was stolen from three individuals, with the funds being transferred to bank accounts linked to compromised emails and credentials.

The police stated that necessary measures were taken after the case was reported, including recovering the hacked Viber account and returning it to its rightful owner. Investigators have managed to freeze MVR 5,600 in one of the bank accounts used in the fraud, while efforts continue to recover the remaining funds.

As part of the investigation, it was revealed that one of the bank accounts used to process the stolen money belongs to the wife of a police officer. However, the police confirmed that both the account and its associated email had been compromised and were being used by an unknown third party. They emphasised that there is no evidence of any involvement by the officer or his spouse.

The Maldives Police Service has expressed concerns about the spread of misinformation, noting the harm it causes to the institution’s reputation. They urged the public to refrain from sharing unverified claims and assured that if any evidence of police involvement surfaces, it will be thoroughly investigated.

The case is being handled by the Economic Crime Department, which continues to work on recovering the stolen funds and identifying the individuals responsible for the scam.