Sri Lanka, Nov. 4 -- A rise in complaints concerning money being solicited through WhatsApp messages has been observed, according to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) W. G. Jayanethsiri of the department stated that a large number of such complaints have been received by the CID over the past few days.

ASP Jayanethsiri further advised the public to exercise greater caution when using WhatsApp groups, as various scams of this nature have been on the rise.

He explained how the scam typically operates:

"The fraudsters first obtain the phone number of a person who holds a respected position in society. Then, they send a message that appears to match that person's daily routine - for exam...