Sri Lanka warns of surge in fake delivery and impersonation scams

The Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT) and the Sri Lanka Police have issued public advisories about a rapid increase in online fraud. CERT highlighted scams that pose as delivery services, contacting consumers by phone or SMS with fabricated order details and then directing victims to click malicious links that can install malware or steal banking credentials. In parallel, police warned that fraudsters are impersonating officers and senior government officials, using forged identity documents and counterfeit official IDs on platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram to persuade victims to transfer money or disclose personal information.

Both agencies urged the public to verify any unsolicited requests, avoid clicking unknown links, and report suspicious activity immediately. They also recommended confirming orders directly with sellers and not sharing one‑time passwords, PINs or verification codes with anyone claiming to be a delivery representative or government official.