The Maldives Police Service’s Anti-Scam Centre has issued an urgent public warning regarding a new fraudulent scheme impersonating the global travel platform, Booking.com. Authorities have identified that scammers are circulating deceptive messages designed to steal financial information from unsuspecting victims.

According to the police, the scam involves phishing links sent via SMS, claiming that the recipient is entitled to a refund. These messages are designed to trick individuals into providing sensitive credit card details under the guise of an account verification process. The Anti-Scam Centre emphasized that these links are specifically crafted to harvest card numbers and expiry dates.

Evidence shared by the police indicates that messages are being sent from the number ‘1474’, alleging that a refund of MVR 9,600 is available. The fraudulent messages urge users to click a link to verify their accounts within 24 hours to secure the funds. This high-pressure tactic is a common hallmark of phishing operations.

The Maldives Police Service reminded the public that legitimate companies do not send links via SMS to request credit card numbers or expiry dates for processing refunds. Citizens are strongly advised against clicking on suspicious links and are cautioned never to share One-Time Passwords (OTPs) or card information with anyone. Authorities recommend that users manually verify any claims by logging into official applications or websites directly.