The Criminal Investigation Department's (CID) Cyber Crimes Unit has exposed a large-scale online scam aimed at foreign nationals, resulting in the arrest of 59 individuals, including the two heads of the company involved. The arrests were made in Colombo on Friday, with authorities reporting that approximately Rs. 300 million was defrauded from foreign victims.
The investigation began after the South Korean Embassy filed a complaint about a Sri Lankan company allegedly scamming a Korean national by promising lucrative business investments. The scam was being operated from a luxury apartment complex on Havelock Road, where officers apprehended 59 Sri Lankans, including 23 women.
The suspects, many of whom spoke multiple languages, had been hired as IT professionals to target foreign investors. Some claimed they were unaware of the scam, as they worked in shifts with limited knowledge of the company’s operations.
Following further investigation, the company director and a manager were also arrested. The police found that the building was rented for Rs. 9 million. Police found fake documents on computers, which were used to attract investments.
The court has remanded the director and manager until November 12, while the other suspects were released on bail of Rs. 1 million each.
