The Sri Lanka Police on Saturday issued a public warning over what it described as a sharp rise in cases of women being targeted on social media and other communication platforms by suspects who deceive them for money, sexual exploitation and other crimes.
In a statement, the Police Media Division said reports have been received from across the country of women befriended online, manipulated and then either sexually abused or cheated out of cash and valuables. In some cases, the statement said, suspects have used intoxicating substances to render victims unconscious before carrying out abuse or theft, while others have built trust by promising marriage and then obtained money and property through deception. Some incidents have ended in serious crimes, including murder.
Police said officers across the island — including intelligence and community policing units — have been instructed to remain vigilant and gather information on individuals potentially involved in such schemes.
The advisory urged the public not to hand over money, jewellery or other valuables to anyone met through social media or online platforms, and to avoid sharing sensitive photographs, videos or personal information with strangers. It also warned against suspicious calls, messages and invitations to meet unknown contacts in person.
Victims or anyone aware of someone affected were asked to contact the nearest police station or the Children and Women Bureau. Police hotlines listed in the statement were 118, 119, 107 and 109.
The advisory is the latest in a string of consumer-protection warnings from the Police Media Division this year, after a fake-traffic-fine SMS scam, a fake “social media traffic fine payment” scheme flagged in May and a WhatsApp impersonation scam using stolen officer photos in June.
Source: Sri Lanka Police warn of fake lover scams targeting women — Newswire, June 21.
