MTCC’s Male’ Taxi Line application, developed at a cost of MVR 13 million, has been hacked, with large volumes of personal user data subsequently appearing on social media.
The breach was first noticed by drivers working with the service, who saw driver names inside the app begin changing without explanation. Shortly after, the application stopped working altogether, disrupting the service for users across Male’.
The leaked information reportedly includes users’ names, phone numbers, wallet IDs, and email addresses, along with private customer messages and trip details, raising significant concern among people who rely on the platform.
The Male’ Taxi Line was launched by the government on April 2 to offer a convenient transport option within the Greater Male’ area. Despite the launch date, the app itself remained unavailable for close to two months, only becoming operational on June 2.
MTCC has said the service, which runs on a fleet of 150 environmentally friendly, fully electric vehicles, completed more than 13,000 trips during its first month. Rides can be booked either through the app or via the 1655 hotline.
The breach comes after the project had already faced criticism over its cost. MDP MP Mohamed Ibrahim (Kudu) previously raised concerns in Parliament, alleging corruption in the app’s development. The security failure is likely to add further weight to those earlier allegations.