Despite all the good intentions you may have, it is important to ensure who you are sending money to, before you do so with strangers. While there has been a significant increase in fraudulent financial transactions in the Maldives, it has become common for scammers to obtain funds under the guise of being ‘friends’.
Many scam callers pretend to know you and be your friend, while asking for urgent funds. However, you realize you did not know this person after transferring money to their account. After checking thoroughly, the phone number used for the scam call turns out to be an unknown number. The phone is then turned off when you try to reach them afterwards.
When you contact the bank to try and get back the money, the account which it is sent to is typically empty. Therefore, it becomes difficult to recover the stolen funds as well.
Such cases are reported every day. Every case is caused by unnecessary financial transactions. With greater awareness and caution, however, such scams can be avoided.
Bank of Maldives (BML)’s Public Relations Manager Mohamed Saeed stated that such scams are taking place in different ways, under the guise of different aliases.
“I urge you not to make financial transactions with unidentified people,” he said, “I urge everyone to pay special attention, to be extra vigilant and not to respond to such calls. Do not to share any of your sensitive bank information with anyone.”
