Pakistan and Sri Lanka Warn Public of Phone Scams Impersonating Officials

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) in Pakistan issued a public advisory after reports of scammers posing as HEC officials and demanding personal or financial information. The commission stressed that it never contacts citizens by unsolicited phone calls, never asks for money, PINs, passwords or bank details, and urged people to verify any such request through official channels. Victims are advised to report suspicious numbers to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, the Federal Investigation Agency’s National Cyber Crime Response Centre, and to inform the State Bank of Pakistan.

In Sri Lanka, the office of Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Chathuranga Abeysinghe warned that individuals were impersonating the minister in telephone calls to deceive the public. The minister’s office urged citizens not to share personal or financial data with unknown callers claiming to represent the government, to verify identities through official means, and to report any suspicious activity to law‑enforcement agencies. Both warnings highlight a rising trend of phone‑based fraud targeting citizens in the two countries.