Sri Lanka Police on Friday issued a public warning about a growing wave of financial scams and cybercrimes that use photographs of police officers, fake WhatsApp accounts and fraudulent online profiles to gain victims’ trust before extracting money or personal data.
In the notice, the police said multiple complaints had been received about fraudsters posing as law-enforcement officers or government officials to obtain personal information and money from unsuspecting individuals. Investigations into such cases had led to arrests on several occasions, but financial fraud, identity theft and cybercrime committed through computers and mobile devices continue to rise.
Scammers commonly contact victims by phone while falsely claiming to represent institutions such as the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) or specialised police units. Victims are told that fraudulent transactions have been carried out using their National Identity Card, that bank cards have been issued in their name without their knowledge, or that their accounts are linked to money-laundering investigations.
Fraudsters then attempt to intimidate victims by claiming legal action is imminent before offering “assistance” and steering the conversation to WhatsApp or other social media platforms. In some cases, forged documents, fake official insignia and photographs of government officials are used to create an appearance of legitimacy. Scammers also attempt to obtain One-Time Passwords (OTPs), banking credentials and other confidential information under the guise of verifying identities or releasing allegedly frozen bank accounts.
Victims may also be pressured into transferring money to unfamiliar bank accounts or buying and transferring cryptocurrencies such as USDT, the police said.
Sri Lanka Police emphasised that no government institution or private organisation would request National Identity Card details, bank account information, card numbers, CVV numbers, passwords or OTP codes through phone calls, WhatsApp or social media. They added that neither the Sri Lanka Police, the CID nor the Central Bank conducts official investigations through personal WhatsApp accounts or asks members of the public to transfer money in connection with investigations.
Friday’s notice continues a tightening official line on online financial fraud, building on the Central Bank’s “be-scam-proof” public-awareness campaign and recent CBSL alerts on plantation investment scams and CERT/IRD impersonation attempts. Members of the public who suspect a scam are urged to verify any official-sounding contact through formal channels before sharing any information.
Source: Newswire — Police warn public over scams using officers’ photos and fake accounts.
