Man arrested for Facebook marketplace scam

Police have arrested Abdulla Milhan, of Funoas, Meedhoo – Addu, for allegedly scamming people through fake listings on Facebook Marketplace.

According to police, Milhan posted fraudulent advertisements claiming to sell goods, collected payments from buyers, and failed to deliver the items. The operation was carried out jointly by the Anti-Scam Center and Addu Police under a court order, following multiple complaints.

Investigations revealed that Milhan extorted money on multiple occasions, with funds deposited into various bank accounts. Some account holders were also found to have knowingly participated in the scam in exchange for financial benefit.

In at least three reported cases, the man fraudulently obtained a total of MVR 16,000. Following his arrest, he was presented in court and has been remanded in custody for 15 days.

Police have noted a rising trend in scams involving fraudulent listings on the Facebook Marketplace. As a precaution, the public is advised not to transfer any money until they have received the goods and to verify the authenticity of the seller’s account before proceeding with any transactions.