Police warn of rise in eSIM scams targeting bank and social media accounts

The Maldives Police Service has warned the public about an increase in scams involving the theft of one-time passwords (OTPs), unauthorised eSIM registration and the compromise of bank and social media accounts.

Police said scammers were also increasingly using stolen personal information to create digital wallets without the account holders' consent and conduct unauthorised financial transactions.

According to police, there has been a noticeable increase over the past month in attempts to obtain OTPs and verification links through deceptive phone calls and text messages.

One of the methods commonly used by scammers involves contacting individuals and falsely claiming that their current mobile number previously belonged to the caller.

The scammers then attempt to persuade the individual to share a verification code sent to their phone.

Police said the codes could be used to compromise banking verification channels, digital wallets and social media accounts.

Another method involves scammers claiming to have recently returned to the Maldives after spending an extended period overseas. They tell victims that they need to recover access to an old email or social media account and attempt to obtain verification codes through deception.

Police warned that sharing such codes could have consequences beyond losing access to email or social media accounts.

Police said scammers were using stolen OTPs and verification links to register victims' mobile numbers as eSIMs on devices controlled by the perpetrators.

This allows scammers to take control of the victims' mobile connections and receive incoming calls and banking SMS alerts.

The unauthorised transfer of a mobile number can also enable scammers to intercept verification codes used to access financial accounts.

Police also warned that scammers were using compromised mobile numbers and stolen personal information to create digital wallets in victims' names without their permission.

These wallets could then be used to conduct unauthorised financial transactions.

In other cases, scammers use the information obtained through fraudulent calls and messages to gain access to bank accounts and transfer money without the account holders' knowledge.

Police said such activities were exposing victims to substantial financial losses.

The Maldives Police Service urged the public not to share OTPs or verification links with anyone under any circumstances.

Police also advised individuals to verify the identity and claims of callers, particularly when contacted from unfamiliar numbers.

The public was cautioned against responding to requests presented as urgent by unknown callers, especially when they involve sharing verification codes or personal information.

Police further advised mobile phone users to contact their telecommunications provider immediately if their physical SIM card unexpectedly loses network connectivity without an apparent reason.

Such an interruption could indicate that the mobile number has been transferred to an eSIM without the owner's authorisation.

Police urged individuals to report suspicious activities promptly to prevent further misuse of their personal information and financial accounts.