Three suspects have been remanded for defrauding over Rs. 05 million from cancer patients through online and mobile fraud.
According to the Police, the suspects have reached out to cancer patients via phone, claiming to assist with collecting donations for treatment and had obtained their personal details, including bank accounts.
They had then created fake National Identity Cards (NIC) using the details of the cancer patients and had also obtained new SIM cards from mobile operators, claiming that the previous number had been lost.
After receiving SIM cards with the same numbers as the cancer patients, they are reported to have accessed their bank accounts and stolen money, amounting to more than Rs. 5 million.
Following several complaints in this regard, Criminal Investigations Department (CID) officials arrested a man and two women regarding the fraud.
The suspects were produced before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court yesterday and have been remanded.
The public, especially cancer patients, has been warned of such online and mobile fraud, with authorities urging not to share personal information with unknown persons. (Newswire)