Sri Lanka Police have warned the public of a rise in fraudulent money transfer scams carried out through social media platforms and telephone calls, with victims being deceived into transferring funds to accounts linked to organised criminal networks.
According to the Police Media Division, complaints received at police stations islandwide reveal that fraudsters are targeting individuals by falsely offering overseas and local job opportunities, claiming prize winnings, or threatening legal action through phone calls and online platforms. Investigations show that scammers obtain sensitive personal and banking information, including bank account details, passwords, One-Time Passwords (OTP), PIN numbers and QR codes, using deceptive links, malicious extensions and scan codes .
Police said the Mirihana Special Crime Investigation Division has recently recorded multiple complaints involving suspects impersonating bank officials. In these cases, victims are informed that money linked to narcotics trafficking has allegedly been deposited into their accounts. By creating fear and panic, suspects pressure victims into transferring money to bank accounts specified by them .
The Sri Lanka Police have urged the public to remain vigilant and to avoid sharing personal or banking details with third parties. Citizens have also been advised to avoid clicking on suspicious links, verify the identity of recipients before making financial transactions, and use only trusted and verified platforms. Any suspected fraud should be reported immediately to the Cyber Crime Unit of the Criminal Investigation Department. (Newswire)
