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CID arrests three suspects over online scam

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The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) revealed information about an organised racket operated by three suspects who deceive the people posting online advertisements in order to steal money from their bank accounts.

The Computer Crime Investigation Division of the CID has already arrested the three persons involved in this racket in Kandy yesterday (16).

The suspects aged between 25 and 30 are residents of Kandy, Talatuoya and Medawachchiya.

A senior CID officer has told the Dinamina newspaper that these suspects call the phone numbers mentioned in online advertisements from phone numbers registered under others.

“They request the seller not to sell the item mentioned in that ad to anyone else. They plead with the seller and say they will deposit a little amount right away and the rest of the money will be paid in a few days. These people speak in such a way that the advertiser develops sympathy towards the caller and builds trust. Finally, after the advertiser expressed his interest in selling the product to these people, they ask for a bank account number in order to transfer money online. After transferring a little amount, these people talk to the advertiser to check if they have received. At the same time, they say that there is a code number and if possible to let them know what it is. Those who do not understand what this number is, give it right away. What happens is that these people use that number to access the account of the advertiser and get the money credited to another bank account,” he said.

The officer urged the public never to handover the password or the OTP number they receive from the bank to anyone else.

Investigations have revealed that all the three suspects arrested in Kandy are heavily addicted to drugs.

One suspect checks ads on social media sites and other websites and makes calls to the advertisers.

The other suspect sneaks into the advertiser’s accounts through the OTP number, steals the money and transfers it to another account.

The third suspect withdraws the money credited to the other account using an ATM card.

It has been revealed that they have infiltrated 80 bank accounts and stolen more than Rs.6 million.

The Computer Crime Investigation Division has received 20 complaints regarding such frauds.

The suspects have been arrested following a complaint filed by a Marawila resident who got caught in this fraud. He had posted an advertisement on a website to sell a generator.

The suspects have stolen Rs. 1.8 million from the victim.

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COVID subvariants spreading in Asia detected in Sri Lanka

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The Medical Research Institute of Sri Lanka has confirmed that the COVID-19 variant currently spreading in the Asian region has also been identified in the country.

Dr. Jude Jayamaha, a specialist in viral diseases at the Medical Research Institute, stated that patients infected with the Omicron subvariants LF.7 and XFG are being reported locally.

Dr. Jayamaha explained that this finding was confirmed through research conducted on biological samples collected from several hospitals across the island.

However, he emphasized that there is no need for undue fear regarding these COVID-19 variants.

Health authorities have also stressed the importance of vulnerable groups—such as pregnant mothers, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses—following health guidelines, including wearing face masks and avoiding crowded places.

Dr. Jayamaha reiterated that new COVID-19 variants emerge periodically, and health authorities are continuously monitoring the situation, so the public should remain calm.

(newswire.lk)

(This story, originally published by newswire.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

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Anudi misses out from Miss World Quarter-Finals

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The Miss World organization has announced its quarter-finalists, selecting 40 contestants from across Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

Sri Lanka’s Anudi Gunasekara, was not selected in the top 40, despite being recognized for her impressive performances in the Multimedia and Head-to-Head challenges.

The top 40 consisted of 10 contestants each from Asia & Oceania, Europe, Africa and the Americas.

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Fuel prices unchanged

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The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) announced that there will be no revision of fuel prices for the month of June 2025.

Accordingly, all fuel prices will remain unchanged for June, it said.  

Existing fuel prices (per litre):

Auto Diesel – Rs. 274
Super Diesel – Rs. 325
Petrol 92 Octane – Rs. 293
Petrol 95 Octane – Rs. 341
Kerosene – Rs. 178

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