A troubling scam targeting Maldivian medical students has come to light, leaving several students financially and emotionally strained. The scam involved students being charged inflated fees to study medicine or specialize overseas, only to return home after the courses failed to proceed as promised.
According to reports, students were sent to countries such as Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Both first-time medical students and doctors seeking specialization were affected.
Zeed International Maldives is the company allegedly behind the scam, reportedly charging some students up to USD 40,000 in tuition fees, while the actual university fees are around USD 10,000.
Ibrahim Hafiz, Managing Partner at H & Associates LLP, told that the scam was discovered when one student was deported. The law firm has pledged to assist affected students free of charge.
Hafiz explained that during their investigation into the deported student, they discovered at least 15 other students stuck overseas due to similar issues. These students were sent abroad after leaving their jobs in the Maldives to pursue specialist training.
"These 15 doctors had worked in Maldives and left to become specialists. They were sent to the Philippines quickly under the pretense that they needed to take a test to continue their training," Hafiz said.
The students had paid USD 1,500 for the test before leaving Maldives. Upon arrival, they learned that the agency had failed to make the necessary arrangements for them to sit for the exam. The actual test fee at the university is just USD 20.
Hafiz said Zeed International collected three years’ worth of tuition fees totaling USD 40,000 from some students, despite the university’s actual tuition being only USD 10,000. Many parents had started contacting the law firm after hearing stories online and suspecting the agency of fraudulent activity.
Further investigation revealed that Zeed International has operated under different names within Maldives, using misleading presentations and advertisements to recruit students.
Hafiz confirmed:
-
Students were asked to pay three to four times the actual tuition fees.
-
Some students were deported due to visa issues caused by false information from the agency.
-
Fees collected from students were not sent to universities, forcing students to return home.
-
The agency operates out of the Cricket Board of Maldives office, where they meet students and present their services.
Zeed International was registered in Maldives in 2023. The company lists shareholders including Cricket Board Member Abdulla Imdan Ismail, Mohamed Raaee Imad, and Aminath Shaheeda. It remains unclear if they were involved in the alleged scam.
H & Associates has called on the Maldives Police, the Ministry of Higher Education, and the Ministry of Sports to investigate the case and hold those responsible accountable.
The situation has left students and families anxious, highlighting the risks associated with overseas education and the importance of verifying agencies before making large payments.
