Financial Scam Targets Drivers Using Fake Traffic Fines

Sri Lankan authorities are alerting the public to a financial scam targeting drivers by fabricating traffic violation fines. The Digital Economy Ministry has reported that fraudsters are using foreign phone numbers to send deceptive messages via SMS or WhatsApp.

These messages falsely claim that the recipient has committed a traffic offense, which has been captured on CCTV. To facilitate the payment of these fabricated fines, the messages provide a link to a website, currently identified as https://thecourierguy.eu.cc/lk. The ministry noted that this fraudulent website is meticulously designed to resemble the government's official 'Gov Pay' portal.

Once a user enters their vehicle number on the fake site, they are presented with a fabricated traffic violation report. The scam's ultimate goal is to steal users' banking information, including credit and debit card details, when they attempt to pay the non-existent fine. The ministry emphasized that the aim is to siphon funds directly from bank accounts.

To protect personal and financial security online, the ministry strongly advises against clicking on suspicious links received via SMS or WhatsApp and refraining from entering any personal or banking information. It also stressed that official government payments should only be made through websites ending with the .gov.lk domain suffix. Furthermore, traffic fines or official notifications from Sri Lanka are never sent from foreign phone numbers, and any such messages should be immediately rejected. The public is urged to remain vigilant and protect their digital assets and personal data, as safeguarding them is a collective responsibility.