Sri Lanka Police have urged the public to remain vigilant regarding financial fraud and cybercrimes committed through the internet and social media platforms.

According to Police, a growing number of complaints are being reported daily concerning online scams, particularly financial fraud carried out through Telegram, WhatsApp, and other social media platforms.

Police further stated that foreign nationals residing in Sri Lanka have, on several occasions, been arrested for their involvement in various forms of online fraud.

“With the rapid advancement of technology, there has been a significant increase in cyber-related offences committed using computers and mobile devices. These include identity theft, unauthorized access to personal information, bank account hacking, social media account takeovers, and the creation of fraudulent websites designed to deceive individuals and obtain money unlawfully,” said police.

Police also noted a noticeable increase in large-scale financial fraud cases where victims are deceived into disclosing sensitive information such as bank account details, usernames, passwords, QR codes, and other personal data.

Fraudsters often lure victims by claiming they have won substantial lottery prizes, qualified for instant loan facilities, received valuable rewards, secured online employment opportunities, obtained funds credited to their accounts, or gained access to jobs and higher education opportunities in European countries.

Police emphasized that the primary factors contributing to these incidents include a lack of public awareness regarding cybersecurity, the use of weak passwords, clicking on suspicious links, and falling victim to fraudulent messages and online scams.

Accordingly, the public has been advised to exercise caution when using the internet and to seek employment and higher education opportunities only through government-approved institutions and registered organizations such as the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment.

Sri Lanka Police requested the public to observe the following precautions:

• Do not be misled by fraudulent promises or schemes promoted by unknown individuals or unverified social media groups claiming to offer lucrative income-generating opportunities through platforms such as Telegram, WhatsApp, or other social media networks. 

• Avoid accessing suspicious web links, internet extensions, or QR codes shared by unknown persons or unverified online groups. 

• Refrain from transferring money to unknown individuals in cyberspace, sharing banking information with them, or allowing third parties to use your bank accounts. 

• Never disclose personal information, bank account details, passwords, PIN numbers, or One-Time Passwords (OTPs) to unauthorized persons. 

• Exercise caution when installing mobile applications or browser extensions provided by unknown sources and avoid granting unnecessary access permissions to electronic devices. 

Police stated that the Inspector General of Police has issued instructions to all police stations island wide to take prompt action against individuals involved in such financial crimes.

The Computer Crime Investigation Division has also been directed to conduct investigations and take necessary legal action against offenders.

Members of the public may report online fraud and cybercrime-related incidents through the following contact numbers:

Computer Crime Investigation Division – Supervision Officers

•             071 859 2918

•             071 859 1765

Computer Crime Investigation Division

•             011 230 0756

Furthermore, the public may visit the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and submit written complaints regarding such offences.