Maldives Police Service has urged the public to remain vigilant amid a rise in scams involving the theft of One-Time Passwords (OTPs), unauthorised e-SIM transfers and the compromise of bank, digital wallet and social media accounts.

According to police statistics, scammers are increasingly using deceptive phone calls and text messages to trick victims into sharing OTPs and account verification links.

One of the common tactics involves scammers contacting individuals and falsely claiming that their current mobile number previously belonged to them. Under this pretext, they attempt to obtain verification codes to gain access to banking services, digital wallets and social media accounts.

Police have also reported cases in which individuals claim to be returning to the Maldives from overseas and request verification codes under the guise of recovering old email or social media accounts.

Police have advised the public to take the following precautions to protect themselves:

• Never share OTPs or verification links: Do not disclose OTPs, PINs or verification links to anyone, regardless of whether the caller claims to be a friend, a previous owner of the phone number, a bank representative or a telecommunications service provider.
• Verify suspicious requests: Be cautious of unexpected calls requesting verification codes to recover accounts. The recovery of an account does not require sharing OTPs with another individual, even if they claim to have previously used your phone number.
• Watch for sudden loss of mobile connectivity: If your physical SIM card unexpectedly loses network connectivity without any apparent reason, contact your telecommunications provider immediately. This could indicate that your number has been transferred to an e-SIM without your authorisation.
• Report suspicious activity immediately: If you receive suspicious calls or messages, or suspect that someone has gained unauthorised access to your accounts, report the matter immediately to the National Emergency Centre by calling 911. Contact your bank to freeze affected accounts and seek assistance from the relevant social media platform or the Maldives Police Service Cybercrime Centre to recover compromised accounts.

Police have emphasised that increasing public awareness and sharing information about these scams are essential in preventing online financial fraud and protecting individuals from cybercrime.