Rise in fake illness posts on Facebook highlights ongoing fraud risks
In many cases, the images used are generated by artificial intelligence or are photos of foreign individuals.
Scam posts claiming that individuals are suffering from serious illnesses and require financial assistance have reappeared on social media, authorities and users have reported.
Such posts had been seen in earlier years but had become less common. However, the number of similar cases has increased again in recent weeks.
Scammers most frequently use Facebook for these schemes. The posts typically follow the same pattern: a description of a person said to be in urgent need of medical treatment, accompanied by a photograph. The content is often copied from genuine newspaper articles appealing for help, with personal details and bank account information altered. In many cases, the images used are generated by artificial intelligence or are photos of foreign individuals.
These posts often attract attention because they describe individuals in difficult situations, prompting users to share them widely.
Common indicators of fraudulent posts include:
-
Posts shared to public groups rather than personal networks
-
Locked or restricted profiles belonging to those who publish the posts
-
Absence of the patient’s name in the appeal
-
Bank account details that do not match the supposed patient’s name
-
Non-functioning phone numbers or links to newspaper articles
Social media platforms continue to be used to facilitate scams in the Maldives, with fraudulent appeals circulating under the names of institutions and companies. Numerous cases have also been reported through the Facebook Marketplace. The sums collected through these scams can reach millions of MVR.
