More than 230 scam cases were recorded since last year, involving millions of ngultrum. This is according to police records. So far this year, 79 cases have been reported, compared to 156 cases last year. With almost Nu 27 M involved over the two years, police have recovered around Nu 12 M.
According to police data, currency exchange scams topped the list with 53 cases, followed closely by house rent advertisement scams with 52 cases.
Other reported scams included fake lottery wins, investment opportunities, crypto-related schemes, account credential sharing, gift delivery scams, and fraudulent Canadian visa or medical expense offers.
The report also highlighted emerging scams involving cryptocurrency sales, account credential sharing through OTP, and fraudulent visa offers.
Of the 156 cases reported last year, a little over Nu 22 M was involved, with only about Nu 10 M recovered. This year, over Nu 4 M have been involved, of which more than Nu 1 M have been recovered so far.
Police say tracking down the scammers remains challenging, as many operate from outside Bhutan, are non-Bhutanese, or involve Bhutanese individuals who act only as middlemen.
Law enforcement authorities are urging the public to remain cautious when engaging in online transactions, especially with unknown individuals or offers that seem too good to be true.
Tashi Dekar
Edited by Sonam Pem
