A growing wave of cybercrime is emerging in Sri Lanka, with scammers increasingly using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to produce highly convincing deep-fake videos featuring well-known business leaders, government officials, and celebrities.
These fabricated clips falsely promote fraudulent investment schemes that promise extraordinary returns.
According to cybersecurity experts, the videos appear highly authentic often styled as professional “interviews conducted in Sinhala and expertly dubbed into English. They show familiar faces seemingly endorsing digital investment platforms and financial products, giving unsuspecting viewers a false sense of credibility.
Many of these scams claim to offer profits ranging from 10 to 15 times the initial investment, a tempting proposition for citizens facing the ongoing rise in living costs. Authorities warn that such AI-generated content is becoming increasingly sophisticated, making it difficult for the public to distinguish between genuine and manipulated media.
Cybersecurity specialists urge the public to exercise caution before engaging with online advertisements or investment offers, especially those shared on social media platforms. The public is also encouraged to verify any financial promotions through official company or government channels before making monetary commitments.
