The Maldives Police Service (MPS) has issued a warning to the public about scam messages that falsely claim to offer applications for Vinares flats, which have not yet been allocated.
The MPS said that the scam messages are sent to mobile phones and include a link that falsely claims Housing Development Corporation (HDC) is accepting applications for the Vinares flats. The message directs recipients to a website for more information.
The MPS clarified that these messages are not from the HDC or any legitimate agency. The scam is intended to hack Facebook and Instagram accounts and extort money from the victims' contacts. The MPS strongly urges the public to avoid clicking on suspicious links and to ignore messages and calls from unknown sources.
Additionally, the MPS has noted that fraudulent online pages are being created to sell various goods. They advise against trusting these pages without verifying their authenticity. MPS is investigating cases where significant sums have been withdrawn from the accounts of individuals due to these scams, and they caution that recovering lost funds can be challenging.