Central Bank of Sri Lanka Director of the Payments and Settlements Department Vasantha Alwis, warns the public about social media scams involving helicopter tour registrations. During a live broadcast of the ‘Big Focus’ programme on Ada Derana yesterday (17), Alwis highlighted that messages urging registration for such tours could be part of fraudulent schemes designed to steal personal information.

Alwis emphasised the importance of vigilance following a similar scam that previously circulated on social media. The earlier scam involved a fraudulent advertisement for a lawn mower, which has since been addressed by relevant authorities. He noted that these scams are part of a larger pattern of fraudulent activities.

"Recently, we discussed a case where a WhatsApp advertisement for a lawn mower, touted as inexpensive, led individuals to click on a malicious link. This action unknowingly installed unwanted software on their mobile phones, allowing scammers to access personal information. Despite mobile phones having built-in security measures, scammers often trick users into granting administrative privileges, which enables them to remotely control the device without the owner’s knowledge," Alwis explained.

The Central Bank’s dedicated team under LankaPay has been effective in combating such frauds, but Alwis cautions that similar scams continue to surface. He advises the public to be particularly cautious with advertisements for helicopter tours and other promotions appearing on platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp. 

"These ads may seem legitimate, but they could be fraudulent. It's crucial to exercise caution and verify the authenticity of such offers before providing any personal information," he added.