Public warned over rise in online scams ahead of festive season

Colombo, March 13 (Daily Mirror) - The Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Rediness Team (SL CERT) has urged the public to remain vigilant about suspicious online advertisements and links as the festive season approaches.

Senior Information Security Engineer of SL CERT Charuka Damunupola said that several incidents of online fraud had been reported to the forum during the first two months of this year.

He noted that with the upcoming festive period, particularly the Sinhala and Tamil New Year season, there is an increased risk of fake advertisements and malicious links circulating online, often disguised as discounts, gifts or special promotions.

Such links may redirect users to fraudulent websites designed to steal personal information and sensitive data, Damunupola warned.

"During religious festivals such as Vesak and Poson, scammers may attempt to obtain users’ personal details through deceptive campaigns under names such as 'Poson Maha Data Dansala," he explained.

Accordingly, the forum urged the public to exercise caution when accessing online advertisements or clicking on links received through the internet, especially those from unknown or unauthorised sources.