WhatsApp Video Call Extortion Scam: CERT Issues Public Advisory

The Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (SLCERT) has issued an urgent public warning over a new financial extortion scam circulating through WhatsApp video calls.

According to SLCERT, the fraudulent operation is reportedly being coordinated from India and involves a coordinated social engineering tactic aimed at deceiving victims in Sri Lanka.

Authorities say the scam begins when fraudsters create fake Facebook profiles and gain access to users’ friend lists. They then initiate contact and eventually place a WhatsApp video call to the victim.

During the call, victims are allegedly shown explicit content and manipulated into compromising situations, which are secretly recorded by the scammers.

The recorded material is later used as blackmail, with the perpetrators threatening to distribute the footage to the victim’s social media contacts unless a ransom is paid.

In most cases, victims are instructed to transfer money into specified foreign bank accounts to prevent the release of the content.

SLCERT has urged the public to remain extremely cautious when receiving unknown video calls and to avoid engaging with suspicious accounts or sharing personal content online.

Officials further advise anyone who has been targeted or affected by this scam to immediately report the incident to their nearest police station and assist ongoing investigations.