The Criminal Investigation Department requests such advertisers to be aware of the fact that there is an organized racket of stealing money from bank accounts by subtly deceiving people who advertise and sell goods on social media and websites.
The Computer Crime Investigation Division of the Criminal Investigation Department says that three people involved in this scam were arrested in Kandy in the investigation of 20 such complaints received by the Computer Crime Investigation Division. Investigations have revealed that the three suspects cheated 80 people and stole more than 60 lakhs.
The Criminal Investigation Department stated that among these suspects there is also a person from Medavachchi.
This is done by checking the ads posted on social media or websites and speaking to the advertiser stating that he will buy the relevant product and asking him not to sell it to another person.
There, a bank account number is obtained and a small amount is credited as an internet banking transaction to confirm that the transaction will definitely take place.
In case of such a transaction, the account holder receives a text message from the bank on his mobile phone. This fraud takes place by obtaining the password or OTP number that can be accessed through the internet to the account holder through the SMS. Many people who do not have proper knowledge about this number give that OTP and with that OTP these smugglers sneak into the bank account and steal the money and credit it to their other account and use the ATM. The Criminal Investigation Department says that the money is taken through the cards.
All these three suspects were drug addicts. It has been revealed that they have used all that money for drug use. Investigations have revealed that the stolen money is being used to credit the bank accounts set up with other people’s identity cards.
