The Maldives Police Service has reported that MVR 6.9 million was lost to scam cases during the first four months of the year, according to data released by its Anti-Scam Centre.

Statistics show that 796 scam cases were recorded between January and April. Of these, funds have been fully recovered in 344 cases, while partial recoveries were made in a further 129 cases. In total, losses amounted to MVR 6,933,716, with MVR 2,516,407.36 recovered so far.

E-commerce scams accounted for the largest share of cases, with 448 incidents reported. This was followed by 142 cases involving fraudulent acquisition of money, 120 cases linked to money laundering, and nine cases categorised as phishing, vishing and job scams. A further 77 cases were recorded under other categories.

Police noted that common methods used by scammers include phone calls, online messaging platforms, phishing links and social media marketplaces. Authorities advised the public to verify the authenticity of individuals before making payments, avoid sharing personal information, and enable two-factor authentication on applications.

The Anti-Scam Centre also urged victims to report incidents promptly, stating that early reporting increases the likelihood of recovering lost funds. Cases can be reported through the National Emergency Call Centre at 911 or 125 (extension 2020), or via email at [email protected].