Police have arrested a man for allegedly extorting close to MVR 1 million from multiple victims through phone scams.
The accused, identified as 29-year-old Shihan Shiyam from Daylight Villa, S. Feydhoo, reportedly contacted individuals by phone and demanded payments for goods that were never supplied.
Authorities said Shiyam was taken into custody last Monday under a court order during a special operation conducted by the Anti Scam Centre in partnership with Addu Hithadhoo Police. The operation followed several reports of scam incidents over consecutive days.
According to police, on June 30, Shiyam called a victim requesting goods and obtained over MVR 30,000 through this false claim. Investigators are now looking into 12 additional cases involving similar extortion schemes and unauthorized access to bank accounts.
Police stated that more than MVR 380,000 acquired through fraudulent transactions passed through Shiyam’s bank account. The total amount involved in the ongoing investigations is estimated to reach approximately MVR 1 million.
During his remand hearing, Shiyam was placed in custody for fifteen days as authorities continue their investigation into the cases.
Police have reminded the public to stay vigilant against phone scams and report any suspicious requests for money or goods. They stressed that attempts to obtain funds under false pretenses are serious offenses and will be thoroughly investigated.
