CID Issues Warning Over Rising WhatsApp Scams in Sri Lanka

According to the CID, fraudsters are employing sophisticated techniques to deceive individuals into disclosing their One-Time Passwords (OTPs) — a critical security feature used to verify identity on WhatsApp. 

Once the scammers obtain this code, they gain full control of the victim's WhatsApp account and use it to send fraudulent messages to their contacts, often requesting money or personal information.

Authorities have confirmed that several complaints have been received in recent weeks, with many victims reporting unauthorized access to their accounts and reputational damage as a result of scam messages sent in their names.

The CID emphasized the following precautions:

Never share your OTP or verification codes with anyone, even if they claim to be from WhatsApp or another official source.

Do not answer suspicious international or unknown calls via WhatsApp.

Enable two-step verification within the app for added security.

A senior CID officer stated, “Weare actively investigating these incidents and are working with telecom service providers and international cybercrime units to track down those responsible. Public vigilance is essential to stop the spread of these scams.”

The police urge all citizens to report suspicious messages or account breaches immediately to the nearest police station or through the Cyber Crimes Division hotline.