Sharp increase in financial frauds during festive season: SLCERT

By Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama

An organized group is once again deceiving the public on a large scale, as evidenced by a sharp increase in financial fraud complaints during the Christmas and New Year season, Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (SLCERT) Chief Information Security Engineer Nirosh Ananda said.  

Addressing the media, he said complaints frequently reported to the SLCERT have increased by more than 25%.  

Therefore, the Security Engineer requested the public not to share their bank account numbers or one-time passwords (OTPs) with third parties.  

He said requests may be received via mobile phones, asking for account details under the pretext of receiving gift vouchers, cash allowances or sharing codes.  

“The public should remain vigilant when receiving links through popular social media platforms such as Facebook or WhatsApp. These links can also be sent via SMS. Additionally, phone calls may be received, informing individuals about the alleged gifts and vouchers,” he said.  

As a result, the SLCERT has requested the public to directly contact them if they receive anything suspicious and to refrain from sharing personal details with unknown third parties.  

Nearly 7,000 incidents related to online or internet financial fraud have been reported to the SLCERT during this year.