Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (Sri Lanka CERT) has issued a special warning to the public regarding a cyber scam targeting motorists through fake SMS and WhatsApp messages related to traffic fines.
According to Sri Lanka CERT, the fraudulent messages falsely claim that traffic violations have been detected through CCTV camera systems installed on roads across the country.
Authorities stated that the scam messages are designed to appear as official notifications from the Sri Lanka Police in an attempt to deceive individuals into revealing sensitive personal and financial information.
Investigations have revealed that cyber criminals are using fake phone numbers and malicious links while impersonating official police communications.
The messages direct recipients to fraudulent websites and instruct them to pay fines for alleged traffic offences.
Sri Lanka CERT warned that these fake websites have been carefully designed to closely resemble the Government’s official “GovPay” payment platform, significantly increasing the risk of misleading members of the public.
Officials further stated that individuals attempting to make payments through these fake websites could unknowingly expose confidential information including debit or credit card details, One-Time Passwords (OTP), National Identity Card information and other sensitive personal data to cyber criminals.
In response to the growing threat, Sri Lanka CERT urged the public to remain vigilant and follow several important safety measures.
The public has been advised not to click suspicious links received through SMS or WhatsApp messages and to always verify the authenticity of websites before making any online payments.
Authorities also stressed that banking details, card information and OTP codes should never be shared with unknown or suspicious websites or third parties.
Sri Lanka CERT further encouraged individuals to immediately report suspicious messages, fake websites or potential cyber fraud attempts to Sri Lanka CERT or the Sri Lanka Police.
The organization also clarified that traffic fine payments through the official “GovPay” platform should only be made after a valid traffic ticket has been officially issued by a Police Officer.
Sri Lanka CERT emphasized that no legitimate payment request for traffic violations would be sent randomly through unofficial SMS or WhatsApp messages containing suspicious links.
Cyber security experts have warned that online scams targeting financial information have been increasing rapidly in recent months, with fraudsters using increasingly sophisticated methods to impersonate government institutions and trusted services.
Sri Lanka CERT urged all internet and smartphone users to exercise extreme caution and remain alert against such cyber fraud activities.
