Police say men under 35 are most vulnerable to scams

People under the age of 35 are most likely to fall victim to scams, and men are statistically more vulnerable than women, according to police.  

Senior Sergeant Abdulla Shahuneez told TVM on Monday that scam cases are the most frequently reported crimes. In November alone, police received 165 scam reports, with losses amounting to MVR 1.2 million. Of these, 42 cases were resolved, and over MVR 400,000 was recovered.  

Shahuneez said the most common scams involve:  

• E‑commerce fraud and fake online sales  

• Money exchange scams  

• Theft of personal information  

“We started analyzing the data after March 17, when the Anti‑Scam Centre began centralized operations. Men have proven to be more likely to be victims of such scams than women,” said Senior Sergeant Abdulla Shahuneez.  

While victims span all age groups, Shahuneez noted that most are under 35.  

The most frequent scam method involves hacking social media accounts, especially Viber, and sending messages to contacts asking for money or help.  

He also warned about phishing links being shared in group chats, often disguised as promotions or official notices.  

To avoid scams, Shahuneez advised the public to:  

• Be cautious of unknown links and suspicious posts  

• Keep phones and accounts secure  

• Report any suspicious links to police immediately  

Police say scam attempts have increased in recent months, with messages falsely sent in the name of government agencies and state‑owned companies.