The Maldives Police Service has issued a warning over a scam involving the impersonation of the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) via the Viber messaging platform.
According to the Police Anti-Scam Centre, individuals are being contacted through Viber by scammers using the names and branding of HDC in an attempt to gain access to victims’ Gmail accounts. The fraudulent activity involves calls and messages sent from two specific phone numbers: 7933128, which is used for calls, and 7956509, which is used for messages. The sender’s display name appears as ‘HDC Housin Development Corpo’.
The scammers reportedly ask recipients to verify numbers under the pretext of official communication from HDC, eventually leading to requests for sensitive login details. Authorities have emphasised that HDC does not conduct official communication through Viber, nor does it request Gmail credentials, verification codes, or access to personal accounts.
In light of the incident, police have urged the public to refrain from sharing personal information or engaging with these messages. They recommend that anyone contacted by the scam numbers block them immediately and report the activity to the relevant authorities.
This is not the first time HDC’s name has been used in scams. Police stated that similar attempts have been recorded in the past, prompting renewed calls for vigilance among the public.
