Ministry of Defense warns of ransom demands taking place using mobile cash transfer systems

Colombo (News 1st); The Defence Ministry in a statement urged the public to be vigilant of an ongoing scam using mobile-based digital e-wallet cash transfer system and ransom by threatening individuals.

The statement said MOD investigations revealed of an organised group operating a mobile-based cash transfer scam to demand ransom by urging people to pay money to take their names out from some on-going criminal investigations.

The matter was brought to the attention of Defence Secretary Maj.Gen.(Retd) Kamal Gunaratne by Sri Lanka Police at a recent meeting held with top defence officials at the ministry.

According to Police, the fraudsters had called several individuals, threatening and demanding them to pay between Rs. 25,000 and Rs. 50,000 using mobile cash transfer systems.

The Defence Secretary had said some individuals had been urged to pay Rs. 25,000 to fraudsters using mobile digital cash transfer system to get their names out from the on-going inquiry on the April 21st Attacks.

Separately Maj.Gen. Gunaratne has also instructed the Police to investigate such scams operating from prison cells to get ransom from family members of suspects in remand prison by impersonating police officers and making them pay hefty amounts using the same mobile cash transferring systems.

The Defence Ministry requests the public to complain to the nearest police station or contact 119 if they have been approached by such fraudsters.

The Defence Secretary said the Ministry would take stern legal action against those fraudsters and also those who have links to this scam.