Police warn of fake SriLankan Airlines scam targeting bank accounts

Colombo, April 23 (Daily Mirror) - The Police have issued an urgent warning regarding a sophisticated financial fraud operation impersonating the national carrier, SriLankan Airlines. 

Police said fraudsters are reportedly contacting victims via WhatsApp, posing as airline representatives to lure them into downloading a malicious mobile application designed to drain bank accounts.

According to investigations, victims are directed to download an application named "Sri Lankan.apk" from fraudulent websites. Once installed, the app acts as a banking trojan, granting attackers remote access to the victim’s phone. This allows criminals to capture One-Time Passwords (OTPs), bypass biometric security like fingerprints or facial recognition, and transfer funds to third-party accounts without the user's knowledge.

SriLankan Airlines has clarified that it does not contact customers via WhatsApp for ticketing or promotions, nor does it request the installation of third-party applications. 

The public is strongly advised to never download APK files from unknown links and to verify all promotions only through the official website. Any suspicious activity should be reported immediately to the nearest police station or the Cyber Crimes Division, police said.