Senior Engineer Charuka Damunupola said that SLCERT has received multiple complaints of fraud involving transactions through such groups.
“People often join unknown groups and chat with strangers. Most of these groups are used to sell goods such as mobile phones and liquor bottles. Sellers post photos online but disappear once payments are made,” he explained.
According to reports, victims have lost at least Rs. 15,000 in payments for liquor bottles and varying sums for mobile phones. In most cases, sellers refused to meet in person or deliver the goods, leaving buyers defrauded after completing online transactions.
Damunupola advised WhatsApp users to adjust their privacy settings to prevent strangers from adding them to groups. He also cautioned against accepting unusually large discounts or making payments without personally verifying the goods.
SLCERT further encouraged victims of such scams to lodge complaints with the Excise Department and the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA).
