Tag: scam

Allegedly fraudulent head of Maleesha Hajj Group in Malaysia, reveal police

Superintendent of Police Mohamed Riyaz has told parliament’s Government Oversight Committee that police have received reports that the Head of Maleesha Hajj Group, Ismail Abdul Latheef is in Malaysia.

Police began searching for 42 year-old in late September after it was alleged that he had defrauded 175 people of MVR 12 million (US$778,000) after they made payments to the Maleesha Hajj Group to travel to Mecca to perform Hajj.

Riyaz said police were trying to verify the information concerning Latheef’s whereabouts.

Officials from the Ministry of Islamic Affairs and police were summoned by parliament’s Government Oversight Committee to determine the progress they had made in locating Latheef, and the missing money.

Latheef was reported to police after people who had made the Hajj payment realised that the group’s office had been closed for days without any response.

On October 2, Interpol issued a red notice to locate and apprehend Latheef.

Attending the Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam. Clients of the company were not able to go to Mecca this year to perform the religious obligation.

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British High Commission raises concerns over “UK” lottery and job scams

The British High Commission (BHC) in Colombo is warning Maldivian and Sri Lankan nationals to protect themselves against scam e-mails that claim to offer UK-based lottery jackpots and job positions, which it has said have already stung a large number of people from around the region.

Citing an anecdotal increase in the number of scam e-mails worldwide, the BHC has said that it “regularly” receives enquiries from Maldivians and Sri Lankans concerning unsolicited lottery winnings and job offers promising “good” things for recipients that respond.

“The sad truth is that many people are being cheated with job offers and lotteries that do not exist,” the commission stated. “Statistics show almost three million people fall victim to scams annually, losing an average of £850 (Rf17,000) each and sometimes a great deal more.”

According to the commission, genuine UK lotteries are not allowed to be entered by individuals living outside of the country, either by expatriates or foreign nationals.

The release added that legitimate competitions do not inform people via e-mail that they have successfully won jackpots and that all such competitions are required to be registered in the UK as well as having their own websites.

In terms of job offers, the commission stressed that similar precautions should be taken in regards to e-mails offering work in the UK, where companies normally require a recruitment procedure including a face-to-face interview with successful applicants before appointing a position.

The BHC claimed that the UK government, including its trade and investment divisions, do not send out unsolicited e-mails with job offers directly or through employment agencies. Genuine job positions within the government are offered on official websites.

However, any individual with doubts concerning the authenticity of e-mail offers can look up genuine UK companies that are required to be registered at www.companieshouse.gov.uk, while the addresses of businesses operating in the country can be checked at www.upmystreet.com.uk, the commission said.

“If you have been cheated because of a job or lottery scam, we advise you to report it to the Sri Lankan police authorities,” the BHC stated. “The UK government has no jurisdiction to investigate or take out criminal prosecutions in Sri Lanka. Moreover, the BHC cannot speak on behalf of any company or individual sending e-mails, be they spam or otherwise, unless it concerns [the commission] directly.”

Further information on detecting possible scam correspondence can be found here.

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