August 09, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka’s cyber security authorities have warned the public about a growing extortion tactic on social media, in which fraudsters allegedly obtain private photographs or videos and later threaten to publish them unless victims pay money.
The Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT) has received complaints involving platforms including WhatsApp and Messenger, according to Information Security Engineer Charuka Damunupola.
He said the perpetrators typically establish contact with unsuspecting users and manipulate them into sharing personal images or video material. The scammers then use the content as leverage, demanding payment while threatening to circulate it publicly through social media if their demands are not met.
CERT has urged members of the public to exercise particular caution when communicating with unfamiliar accounts online and to avoid responding to suspicious messages or requests for personal material.
People who believe they have been targeted by such schemes have also been advised not to give in to the demands. Instead, victims should preserve relevant evidence and report the incident without delay to the nearest police station.
The post Sri Lanka CERT Warns of Social Media Extortion Scams Targeting Users appeared first on LNW Lanka News Web.
