The Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (SLCERT) has issued a public warning about an ongoing cyber scam targeting motorists through fraudulent SMS and WhatsApp messages impersonating official police notifications.
According to SLCERT, the messages falsely claim that traffic violations have been detected via CCTV cameras and direct recipients to pay fines through a fake website designed to closely resemble the Government’s official “GovPay” platform.
The fraudulent site is intended to mislead the public and trick individuals into disclosing sensitive personal and financial information.
SLCERT cautioned that victims attempting to make payments through these fake websites risk exposing credit and debit card details, OTP codes, National Identity Card information, and other confidential data to cyber criminals.
SLCERT urged the public to remain vigilant and follow safety measures, including:
- Avoid suspicious links received via SMS or WhatsApp.
- Verify websites before making any payments.
- Do not share banking details with unknown platforms.
- Never disclose OTP codes to third parties.
- Report suspicious activity immediately to Sri Lanka CERT or the Police.
SLCERT also reminded motorists that traffic fines through the GovPay system should only be settled after an official notification is issued by a police officer and a valid traffic fine ticket is formally provided. (Newswire)
