February 12, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka Police have alerted the public to a fraudulent email campaign in which unknown individuals are posing as the Director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Shani Abeysekara.
In a statement released by the Police Media Division, authorities confirmed that a series of deceptive emails have been circulated under the false pretence of being official communication from the CID. The department has categorically denied issuing or authorising any such messages.
Investigators say the emails originated from suspicious addresses, including [[email protected]]and [[email protected]], and are believed to have been designed to mislead recipients. Officials suspect the scheme may be aimed at extracting sensitive personal details, facilitating financial scams, or otherwise defrauding unsuspecting members of the public.
Police have since launched a formal inquiry to trace those responsible for the impersonation and to bring them before the courts. Cybercrime units are also said to be examining whether the fraudulent emails are linked to any broader network of online scams.
Members of the public have been strongly advised to remain vigilant and to avoid responding to unsolicited emails requesting personal, banking or confidential information. Authorities further reminded citizens that official correspondence from the CID is conducted through verified government channels and not via generic email accounts.
Anyone who has received a suspicious message or may have shared information in response to such communication is encouraged to report the matter promptly to the nearest police station or through official cybercrime reporting platforms.
