A 34‑year‑old resident of Mampuriya has been arrested by officers of the Wariyapola Computer Crimes Investigation Division in connection with the circulation of a woman’s nude photographs and video footage via WhatsApp.

The arrest was made on Thursday (13) within the Anamaduwa Police Division, following a complaint lodged by the victim with the Computer Crimes Investigation Division.

Police said the suspect was taken into custody by a special team attached to the division.

The Wariyapola Computer Crimes Investigation Division has launched further investigations into the incident. (Newswire)

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WhatsApp will stop working on Android smartphones running versions older than Android 6 from September 8, 2026.

The Meta‑owned messaging app announced that continued access will only be available for users on Android 6 or newer, along with the latest supported version of the app.

While WhatsApp continues to work on introducing new features for the future, the Meta app also knows that maintaining appropriate minimum requirements is important. New features usually need better system capabilities and higher performance.

This means older devices and operating systems may not be able to handle them well. It can also stop WhatsApp from adding some new features if they don’t work properly on older Android versions. As a result, WhatsApp is now announcing that it will drop support for certain versions of Android.

WhatsApp Is Reportedly Taking This Feature From Facebook Messenger

“The current supported version of WhatsApp for Android requires Android OS 5.0 or newer. This means that the app can run with the necessary stability and performance on a large number of devices. However, even as the Android ecosystem is moving toward Android 17, a certain number of users still rely on outdated devices,” WABetaInfo, a website that tracks WhatsApp, reported.

According to the report, this is especially common in countries such as India, Brazil, Pakistan, and across parts of Southeast Asia and Africa, where older smartphones are widely used. Many of these devices run versions much older than Android 10, which are no longer updated by manufacturers.

“This creates a growing gap between modern software requirements and older hardware still in active use,” the report said.

WhatsApp is notifying affected users by displaying an alert as soon as they open the app. The message notes that starting on September 8, 2026, WhatsApp will no longer be available on specific versions of Android.

Specifically, WhatsApp will drop support for all Android versions older than Android 6.0.

This means phones running Android 5.0 and 5.1 won’t be able to use WhatsApp after this date. Even though only a small number of users are on these versions, WhatsApp still goes ahead with such updates. It is best to back up your chats before it’s too late.

WhatsApp is advising users to back up their chats to avoid losing data. You can easily do this using Google Drive from the app settings. If you don’t want to use cloud storage or don’t have space, you can also use a local backup.

WhatsApp automatically saves chats on your phone’s internal storage, which you can transfer manually later if needed.

No impact on iPhone users

This change only affects Android users. iPhones and iPads are not impacted. WhatsApp will continue to work on devices running iOS 15.1 and above.

The change currently applies only to Android devices and their minimum operating system requirements. For now, iOS users can continue using WhatsApp as usual without updating their devices due to this update.

What should you do?

If your phone runs Android 5.0 or 5.1, you’ll need to either update your software (if possible) or switch to a newer device to keep using WhatsApp. This applies to both WhatsApp Messenger and WhatsApp Business. (Times Now)

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Sri Lanka Police have issued a public warning about a dangerous new financial fraud being carried out through malicious “.apk” files sent via WhatsApp and Telegram.

According to the Police, these files are often disguised as wedding invitations, electricity bills, or lottery notices. Once clicked, they install harmful software on mobile phones. 

This allows hackers to control the device screen and read SMS messages, including confidential One Time Password (OTP) codes linked to bank accounts.

Police warn that suspicious “.apk” files should never be downloaded or opened, even if they appear to come from friends.

 “Always use Google Play Store or Apple App Store to obtain apps, and ensure the ‘Install Unknown Apps’ option in phone settings is disabled,” the statement said.

They further advised that anyone who suspects they have fallen victim should immediately suspend their bank accounts and report the matter to the nearest police station or the Computer Crimes Division of the CID. (Newswire)

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WhatsApp is rolling out a fresh wave of features designed to make conversations smoother, smarter, and more organized. 

From managing storage and transferring chats across devices to juggling multiple accounts on iOS, the new tools aim to simplify everyday messaging while adding creative touches like sticker suggestions and AI‑powered photo edits.

“To help you make the most of all of it, we’re rolling out new ways to make WhatsApp even easier to use, whether you’re staying organized, juggling work and personal life, or getting more out of every chat,” said Meta Platforms, the parent company of WhatsApp. 

The following are the new features being introduced by WhatsApp:

Free up space, keep what matters: As your chats fill up, so can the clutter. Now, you can find and delete large files directly within any chat by tapping the chat name and selecting Manage Storage, so you can clear what you don’t need without deleting your entire conversation. You can also choose to clear just media files when clearing a chat, keeping your chat history intact.

Cross-platform chat transfer made easy: Changing your phone shouldn’t be complicated, and WhatsApp’s chat transfer feature now supports moving your chat history from iOS to Android, in addition to within the same platform. Now, with just a few taps, your conversations, photos, and videos easily come with you no matter what device you’re using.

Two accounts, one phone — now on iOS: You can now have two WhatsApp accounts logged in at the same time on iOS — just like on Android. There’s no need to carry two phones to keep work and personal chats separate. You’ll always know which account you’re in because your profile picture will now be visible in the bottom tab.

Stickers that match your mood: Stickers can bring bigger, bolder expressions to your chats, and now WhatsApp is making it easier to use them by suggesting them as you type emojis. With just a tap, you can swap an emoji for a sticker that captures exactly how you’re feeling.

Photo touch-ups with Meta AI: You can now use Meta AI to touch up photos directly in your chat before sending them, making it easy to remove something distracting, swap in a new background, or apply a fun style. Meta AI features may not be available to all users.

AI Writing Help is even more useful: Writing Help can now draft a suggested response based on your conversation, so you can get your message just right, all while keeping your chats completely private.

These features are rolling out now and will be available to everyone soon. We hope they make your WhatsApp even simpler to use, the company added. (Newswire)

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The Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation, K.D. Lal Kantha has invited citizens to directly raise ministry‑level issues, problems, or instances of injustice through a WhatsApp voice message to his personal number (071 2473104). 

In a statement on social media, he assured that guidance will be provided and necessary action taken through the proper channels.

The Minister noted that although Monday is designated as a public day, those wishing to meet him must first reserve a time through the Coordinating Secretary, Gamini Senarathna (071 8103579), or Public Relations Officer Ranil Wimalaratna (075 8040110). 

For those unable to travel to Colombo, appointments can also be arranged for the Kandy public day through District Coordinating Secretary Kapila (071 4464857).

He further stated that his staff and coordinating secretaries are committed to intervening in any matter brought forward. 

Minister Lal Kantha added that, acting as people’s representatives within administrative procedures, the Ministry will promptly address issues relevant to its subject areas, while expecting the cooperation of citizens in resolving them. (Newswire)

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The Government Information Centre (GIC) has introduced a WhatsApp service to assist vehicle owners with registering for the National Fuel Pass.

Those facing difficulties in registration can send their vehicle number (typed, not as a photo) to 0760191919 via WhatsApp. 

According to officials from the Ministry of Digital Economy, they must also submit clear images of the following documents:

• National Identity Card (NIC), driving license, or passport
• Valid revenue license
• Vehicle registration certificate (CR)

The ministry officials stressed that registration will only be processed for the registered owner of the vehicle, and the NIC number must match the details on the CR.

All personal data provided will be protected under the Personal Data Protection Act No. 9 of 2022. 

Data will be collected solely for validation purposes, and once verification is complete, all personal information except the vehicle number will be securely removed from the system. 

The website providing a dedicated portal for resolving registration issues related to Sri Lanka’s National Fuel Pass: https://gic.gov.lk/complain-registration.html (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka Police has announced the launch of a new WhatsApp hotline to strengthen crime prevention efforts in the Western Province.

The number, 0777128128, will operate around the clock, allowing the public to share information on crimes, drug trafficking, and other illegal activities. 

According to the Police, messages sent through the hotline will be directed to the Special Operations Centre established at the Office of the Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police for the Western Province.

The Police have assured that the confidentiality of individuals providing information will be protected. (Newswire)

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Russia’s internet regulator Roskomnadzor has removed”youtube.com” from its DNS (Domain Name System) servers. If a user tries to access the site directly without a VPN (Virtual Private Network), their router can no longer assign the address to its IP address.

This means that You Tube is no longer accessible in Russia. The WhatsApp domain has also disappeared from Roskomnadzor’s servers. The Russian government has also launched a campaign against the messenger app Telegram, leading analysts to say Roskomnadzor is cracking down on platforms beyond its control.

If DNS servers are like the internet’s phone book, IP addresses are numbers assigned to computers, smartphones and routers to make them accessible and identifiable.

A VPN creates an encrypted connection between a user’s device and a server, allowing the user to bypass geo-blocking and surf anonymously.

DW reviewed tips from experts and internet users on how to circumvent Russian blocks. In an anonymous survey, when asked whether they had noticed problems with YouTube in Russia, 46% of respondents told DW they used the video platform via a VPN, 24% reported ongoing connection problems despite using a VPN. Another 27% told DW they did not live in Russia, while 3% said they did not use a VPN and had experienced disruptions.

NDNS: Alternative internet directory
The DNS servers of Roskomnadzor should actually be referred to as NDNS, or the National Domain Name System, according to internet censorship expert Michael Klimarev, who posted this on the Telegram channel zatelecom.

He said the software and hardware system had been introduced in Russia alongside the Sovereign Internet Law.

“It is an alternative ‘internet directory’ that Russian telecommunications providers must use,” he explained.

He added that according to the law, Russian providers are not allowed to use international domain registrars but only NDNS, enabling the authorities to control access to websites centrally.

According to the na_sviazi Telegram channel, 13 domain names were recently removed from NDNS, including those of DW, BBC, Radio Liberty, Facebook and Instagram.

Until now, Roskomnadzor had primarily used Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) to restrict internet access. This data processing technology enables internet traffic to be analyzed and filtered.

DPI can also slow data transmission and ensure videos load slowly or not at all for Russian YouTube users. So, in the past, the video platform was technically available, but did not always work.

Independent telecommunications expert Alexey Uchakin told the business portal of the Russian media group RBC that he presumed Roskomnadzor’s capacity to slow down data transmission was limited, and the regulator might have opted for more restrictions to free up its own resources to block Telegram.

‘Nothing works without a VPN’

In comments on DW’s YouTube channel, users reported a deterioration in the quality of access to the internet.

“Even with a VPN, there is a noticeable slowdown and instability,” noted one user.

“YouTube is more difficult to watch,” said another, adding: “But I don’t think that’s because of YouTube but because of the VPN. I use free versions.”

Another user said they never turned off the VPN on their laptop “because nothing works without it.”

Tips on how to circumvent blocks are already being exchanged on social networks in Russia. However, some users fear that the authorities will also be able to detect settings used to circumvent censorship.

Last year, a law that imposes a fine of up to 5,000 rubles (approx. €55 or $65) for searching for “extremist material” on the internet and also using VPNs came into force.

YouTube has not officially been classified as an “undesirable organization” in Russia, but authorities regularly accuse the platform of distributing prohibited content.

What can ordinary internet users do?

“If only one NDNS is available in a country, no settings can help restore normal DNS functionality,” says the na_sviazi Telegram channel.

“In this case, a user must seriously consider protecting their data traffic and choose reliable VPNs.”

But many users have also complained that even VPNs are not reliable. Some presume this is partly due to restrictions imposed by VPN providers themselves or ad blockers.

Klimarev confirmed VPNs and third-party DNS services did not offer complete protection. He says internet providers could also block alternative DNS services.

For him, a reliable VPN is still the most effective way to stay in touch with the outside world, but he warned that the Russian authorities might falsify IP addresses: “And then you won’t be directed to where you want to go.”

If a user cannot access genuine websites, they might be directed to fakes designed to steal logins, passwords and bank details.

Officially, Roskomnadzor has justified the restrictions on Telegram by saying the platform has violated “Russian law” and is a “threat to citizens.”

A Moscow court already fined Telegram for refusing to delete “prohibited content” and failing to comply with the “obligations of a social media operator.”

Klimarev believes that if the situation continues to develop in similar fashion, “at some point, there will be a completely different internet in the Russian Federation that differs from the global one. And it will not be trustworthy.” (DW)

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WhatsApp may soon introduce a new way for users to control who sees their status updates. Reportedly, Meta is testing an Instagram-like feature that allows users to create custom contact lists for sharing status posts. 

The feature has reportedly been spotted in the beta version for Android 2.26.5.11 and is still in the development stage.

The reported feature allows users to organise contacts into named lists which display different emojis for their identification. The lists enable users to share their current status without needing to change their privacy settings after each new update. 

Instead, users can easily select a predefined group of contacts associated with that category, minimising the possibility of sharing information with the wrong people.

One of the key additions is a close friends list feature, similar to Instagram. This option would let users share status updates only with selected contacts. Users can add people to the list either through the status privacy settings or directly from the status interface.

Users will reportedly be able to edit their close friends list at any time. However, any changes made after a status is shared will only apply to future updates. Contacts removed from a list will still be able to view a status that was shared with them earlier.

WhatsApp is also said to be testing three additional privacy options for status sharing. Once a status is posted, selected contacts may see a coloured ring around the user’s profile picture, indicating restricted visibility. (The News)

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The Sri Lankan Police has warned the public of various fraudulent activities being carried out by exploiting social media platforms such as Telegram, WhatsApp, etc., via the internet.

According to the Police, there are instances where fraudsters are obtaining the account details (Username/Password) of unsuspecting individuals through various methods, including QR codes, and subsequently blocking the original owners from their online accounts.

The Police state these fraudsters are engaging in such activities by requesting money for fake job opportunities.

As such, the public has been informed to remain vigilant of fraudulent schemes online and to be aware of such activities. The public has been warned as follows;

• To be cautious of fraudulent and income-generating schemes carried out through familiar social media platforms (such as Telegram, WhatsApp, etc.) and groups, even if they appear to be managed by known persons or familiar social media platforms.
• To avoid using internet links and website addresses sent by known persons or familiar social media platforms and groups.
• To be wary of requests from known persons on platforms like Viber to deposit money into their accounts, to engage in currency exchange with them, or to use one’s own bank account on behalf of others for transactions.
• To never share account details or OTPs with unknown persons under any circumstances.
• To be cautious and use secure methods when making online payments or using internet links recommended by known persons, and to verify the authenticity of such requests. (Newswire)

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The Sri Lanka Police has introduced a new WhatsApp hotline for the public to directly contact IGP Priyantha Weerasooriya regarding crimes and various other public issues.

According to the Police, the public can contact the IGP via the WhatsApp phone number, 071-8598888, from today.

The public has been advised that they may only use this new WhatsApp phone number to send text messages, videos, and photos directly to the IGP, but making phone calls to the respective number is not permitted.

The Police further said this facility could be used to report any information related to crimes and other issues they may encounter. (Newswire)

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Every day criminal scammers attempt to play on people’s economic anxiety to trick people with too-good-to-be-true offers and pyramid schemes to earn quick money. As part of our ongoing efforts to protect people from scams, we’re sharing updates on disrupting attempts by criminal scam centers to target people on our apps, the latest insights into how these scams work, new anti-scam tools on WhatsApp and key safety tips. 

Taking Action Against Scammers

Some of the most prolific sources of scams are criminal scam centers, often fueled by forced labor and operated by organized crime primarily in Southeast Asia. In the first six months of this year, as part of our ongoing proactive work to protect people from scams, WhatsApp detected and banned over 6.8 million accounts linked to scam centers. Based on our investigative insights into the latest enforcement efforts, we proactively detected and took down accounts before scam centers were able to operationalize them.

How Scammers Operate

These scam centers typically run many scam campaigns at once – from cryptocurrency investments to pyramid schemes. There is always a catch and it should be a red flag for everyone: you have to pay upfront to get promised returns or earnings. 

Scams may start with a text message or on a dating app, then move to social media, private messaging apps and ultimately payment or crypto platforms. In the course of just one scam, they often try to cycle people through many different platforms to ensure that any one service has only a limited view into the entire scam, making it more challenging to detect.

Working with Others to Protect People

As an example, recently WhatsApp, Meta and our peers at OpenAI disrupted scams efforts which we were able to link to a criminal scam center in Cambodia. These attempts ranged from offering payments for fake likes to enlisting others into a rent-a-scooter pyramid scheme, or luring people to invest in cryptocurrency. As OpenAI reported, the scammers used ChatGPT to generate the initial text message containing a link to a WhatsApp chat, and then quickly directed the target to Telegram where they were assigned a task of liking videos on TikTok. The scammers attempted to build trust in their scheme by sharing how much the target has already ‘earned’ in theory, before asking them to deposit money into a crypto account as the next task. 

How do you recognize these scams and stay safe? We partnered with internet safety expert and ethical hacker Rachel Tobac to share how scammers may target people – and how to avoid them. 

New WhatsApp Anti-Scam Tools

In addition to disrupting scam centers, WhatsApp is constantly rolling out new features to help protect people on our apps from known scam tactics at scale. 

Group messaging: We’re launching a new safety overview that we’ll show you when someone who is not in your contacts adds you to a new WhatsApp group you may not recognize. It will include key information about the group and tips to stay safe. From there, you can exit the group without ever having to look at the chat. And if you think you might recognize the group after seeing the safety overview, you can choose to see the chat for more context. Regardless, notifications from the group will be silenced until you mark that you want to stay. 

Individual messaging: Additionally, scammers may attempt to first initiate contact with you elsewhere on the internet before asking to message them on private messengers like WhatsApp. To protect against this tactic, we continue to test new approaches to alerting people to pause before engaging. For example, we’re exploring ways to caution you when you start a chat with someone not in your contacts by showing you additional context about who you’re messaging so you can make an informed decision. 

We’ve all been there: someone you don’t know attempting to message you, or add you to a group chat, promising low-risk investment opportunities or easy money, or saying you have an unpaid bill that’s overdue. The reality is, these are often scammers trying to prey on people’s kindness, trust and willingness to help – or, their fears that they could be in trouble if they don’t send money fast.

We encourage you to pause, question, and verify, before responding to a suspicious or unusual message, especially if it’s from a number you don’t know promising fast money:

• PAUSE: Take time before you respond. Think about whether this is a number you recognize, or whether it reads like a legitimate ask. 
• QUESTION: Does this request make sense? Does it seem too good to be true? Are they asking you to send money, gift cards or PIN codes? Are they offering unrealistically high pay for a few hours of work? Are they rushing you into taking action? These might be signs of a scam.
• VERIFY: If they’re claiming to be a friend or family member, make sure that they are who they say they are by contacting that friend directly – ideally using another method of communication. For example, if they messaged you on WhatsApp, call them on their phone – or if they sent you an SMS, give them a WhatsApp call using the phone number you know is theirs. (Meta)

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The Sri Lanka Police has warned the public of unauthorized access to WhatsApp accounts for financial fraud.

According to the Police, the Criminal Investigation Department  (CID) has observed a rise in incidents where fraudsters are using the WhatsApp platform to send fake messages and links, thereby gaining unauthorized access to users’ WhatsApp accounts and committing financial fraud.

In these cases, fraudsters obtain the WhatsApp OTP (One-Time Password) from the user and take control of the account. Subsequently, they use the compromised account to send fake messages to the user’s contacts, further perpetuating the fraud. This has led to significant financial losses for victims.

Advising the public to remain vigilant about such fraudulent activities and take necessary precautions, the Police further requested that they never share their OTP with anyone, as this could lead to unauthorized access to their accounts. (Newswire)

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The Sri Lanka Police has warned the public of a financial scam being carried out by persons hacking personal WhatsApp accounts.

The Police said people whose WhatsApp accounts have been compromised can contact support@whatsapp.com to retrieve their accounts.

The public can also file complaints with the Police cybercrimes unit via https://telligp.police.lk regarding such incidents. (Newswire)

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A 53-year-old man has been arrested in Negombo for allegedly attempting to shoot a former schoolmate following an argument in a WhatsApp group, police said.

According to investigators, the suspect had arrived with a firearm to confront his friend, with whom he had a dispute in a school batch group chat. He reportedly fired a shot into the air during the altercation.

A video of the incident, which shows the two men scuffling, has surfaced online and is being used as evidence in the investigation.

Police are continuing inquiries. (Newswire)

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Meta Platforms Inc. faces a historic antitrust trial beginning Monday that could force the tech giant to break off Instagram and WhatsApp, startups it bought more than a decade ago that have since grown into social media powerhouses.

The looming antitrust trial will be the first big test of President Donald Trump’s Federal Trade Commission’s ability to challenge Big Tech. The lawsuit was filed against Meta — then called Facebook — in 2020, during Trump’s first term. It claims the company bought Instagram and WhatsApp to squash competition and establish an illegal monopoly in the social media market.

Meta, the FTC argues, has maintained a monopoly by pursuing CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s strategy, “expressed in 2008: ‘It is better to buy than compete.’ True to that maxim, Facebook has systematically tracked potential rivals and acquired companies that it viewed as serious competitive threats.”

Facebook also enacted policies designed to make it difficult for smaller rivals to enter the market and “neutralize perceived competitive threats,” the FTC says in its complaint, just as the world shifted its attention to mobile devices from desktop computers.

“Unable to maintain its monopoly by fairly competing, the company’s executives addressed the existential threat by buying up new innovators that were succeeding where Facebook failed,” the FTC says.

Facebook bought Instagram — then a scrappy photo-sharing app with no ads and a small cult following — in 2012. The $1 billion cash and stock purchase price was eye-popping at the time, though the deal’s value fell to $750 million after Facebook’s stock price dipped following its initial public offering in May 2012.

Instagram was the first company Facebook bought and kept running as a separate app. Up until then, Facebook was known for smaller “acqui-hires” — a type of popular Silicon Valley deal in which a company purchases a startup as a way to hire its talented workers, then shuts the acquired company down. Two years later, it did it again with the messaging app WhatsApp, which it purchased for $22 billion.

WhatsApp and Instagram helped Facebook move its business from desktop computers to mobile devices, and to remain popular with younger generations as rivals like Snapchat (which it also tried, but failed, to buy) and TikTok emerged. However, the FTC has a narrow definition of Meta’s competitive market, excluding companies like TikTok, YouTube and Apple’s messaging service from being considered rivals to Instagram and WhatsApp.

“The FTC already has the difficult task, whether it’s looking at 10 years ago or five years ago or today, of trying to define what is the market we’re talking about in a sufficiently narrow way that it can show Meta has a ton of power in that market,” said Paul Swanson, an antitrust attorney for the law firm Holland & Hart. “And I do think that challenge has gotten harder as the years have gone by and we see more and more potential competitors in social media spaces.”

Meta, meanwhile, says the FTC’s lawsuit “defies reality.”

“The evidence at trial will show what every 17-year-old in the world knows: Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp compete with Chinese-owned TikTok, YouTube, X, iMessage and many others. More than 10 years after the FTC reviewed and cleared our acquisitions, the Commission’s action in this case sends the message that no deal is ever truly final. Regulators should be supporting American innovation, rather than seeking to break up a great American company and further advantaging China on critical issues like AI,” the company said in a statement.

In a filing last week, Meta also stressed that the FTC “must prove that Meta has monopoly power in its claimed relevant market now, not at some time in the past.” This, experts say, could also prove challenging since more competitors have emerged in the social media space in the years since the company bought WhatsApp and Instagram.

Meta’s fate will be decided by U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, who late last year denied Meta’s request for a summary judgment and ruled that the case must go to trial.

Boasberg “seems to be skeptical” of the FTC’s narrow market definition in his rulings to date, Swanson said. He added that the judge also said it is a “fact question,” which means he is open to hearing what the FTC and its experts have to say to define that narrow market.

While the FTC may face an uphill battle in proving its case, the stakes are high for Meta, whose advertising business could be cut in half if it’s forced to spin off Instagram.

“Instagram is now Meta’s biggest money maker in the U.S., its most lucrative market, where the app accounts for 50.5% of the company’s ad revenues in 2025. Instagram has also been picking up the slack for Facebook on the user front, particularly among young people, for a long time,” said Emarketer analyst Jasmine Enberg. “The trial also comes as Meta is trying to bring back OG Facebook in an effort to appeal to Gen Z and younger users as they join social media. Social media usage is far more fragmented today than it was in 2012 when Facebook acquired Instagram, and Facebook isn’t where the cool college kids hang out anymore. Meta needs Instagram to continue growing, especially as more advertisers think Instagram-first with their Meta budgets.”

But Meta isn’t the only technology company in the sights of federal antitrust regulators, Google and Amazon face their own cases. The remedy phase of Google’s case is scheduled to begin on April 21. A federal judge declared the search giant an illegal monopoly last August.

“A big theme here is we are applying 19th-century laws to 21st-century markets. And I think it’s an open question whether the judgment developments to antitrust law can keep up with markets as they are changing — these fluid and dynamic tech markets in particular,” Swanson said. “And this will be a case that speaks directly to that.” (ABC News)

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The Department of Motor Traffic has introduced a new WhatsApp number for the public to submit complaints and appeals.

According to the department, the public can submit their complaints via the WhatsApp number  ‘071 403 3300’.

Using the WhatsApp number, the public can submit their complaints and appeals to the Commissioner General of Motor Traffic. (Newswire)

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WhatsApp has taken a step forward in simplifying document sharing with a new feature that allows users to scan documents directly within the app. 

This new functionality, available to some users with the latest WhatsApp for iOS update (version 24.25.80), is seamlessly integrated into the document-sharing menu. 

With this addition, WhatsApp users can quickly capture a document using their device’s camera without needing external scanning tools or apps. 

The rollout is happening gradually, with more users expected to gain access over the coming weeks, as confirmed by the latest WhatsApp changelog, reported by WABetaInfo. (India Today)

• How to scan documents on WhatsApp?

To use the built-in WhatsApp document scanner on iPhone, open WhatsApp on your device, tap on the “Plus ” button on the bottom bar and select Documents. Now, you will see three options – “Choose from files”, “Choose photo or video” and “Scan document”.

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A youth who had defrauded money via WhatsApp by posing as a Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) has been arrested and remanded until 09 January 2025.

The suspect who had financially defrauded several persons, including businessmen, was arrested by officials from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID). 

The suspect, a resident of Borella, had utilised the name and image of a DIG to send messages via WhatsApp to various persons, financially defrauding them.

Investigations have revealed that the youth had called businessmen claiming to be a DIG and had defrauded money from them by threatening to initiate legal action over false complaints against them.  

The arrested youth has been remanded until 09 January 2025 after being produced in court. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka’s Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT) reported an increase in unauthorized access to WhatsApp accounts used for financial scams across various regions.

CERT’s Senior Information Security Engineer Charuka Damunupola said that cybercriminals often infiltrate WhatsApp groups and gain access to individual accounts by obtaining verification codes shared by users.

Once they control an account, they send messages posing as the account owner, requesting urgent financial assistance, Damunupola explained.

Scammers also exploit events such as religious or educational gatherings and claim users have won prizes, sending messages to invite victims to Zoom meetings.

Damunupola explained further that the codes requested by these scammers are not for Zoom meetings but for gaining control of WhatsApp accounts.

CERT advises users to never share verification codes with third parties. If an account is compromised, users should notify their contacts immediately and refrain from sending money without verifying any urgent requests from friends or family. (Newswire)

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