Authorities Warn of Scam Under A Fake ‘Gov Pay’ in Finance Fraud

COLOMBO (News 1st) - Police say a financial scam is currently being carried out using the name 'Gov Pay'.

Police stated that the fraud is being conducted by claiming to collect fines related to traffic offenses based on CCTV footage of drivers.

Accordingly, individuals are being targeted through SMS or WhatsApp messages sent from a foreign phone number +63 969 216 1720, falsely warning recipients that they have committed traffic violations.

The fraudsters instruct victims to pay the alleged fine by clicking a link included in the message.

Police say the fraudulent website has been carefully designed to closely resemble the official government “Gov Pay” website.

Once accessed, users are prompted to enter their bank card details to make the payment.

Authorities warn that this allows scammers to steal money directly from victims’ bank accounts.

The police have urged the public not to click on suspicious links or respond to unknown SMS or WhatsApp messages.