Sri Lanka becomes global hotspot for telecom fraud, pig‑butchering scams

New Delhi, June 16 (IANS) Sri Lanka is increasingly being used as a base for international telecom fraud and pig‑butchering investment scams, as the island nation became a favoured spot for organised cybercrime due to economic turmoil and regulatory gaps.

The report from Ceylonnews24 said cybercrime networks from Southeast Asian countries like Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos are now decentralising their operational hubs toward Sri Lanka due to relaxed scrutiny regarding any foreign investment or cash inflow.

Since mid-2024, several raids by the Sri Lanka Police and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) have unearthed large, foreign‑run scam centres, and led to hundreds of arrests.

Major raids in Kandy, Panadura and Negombo have targeted luxury hotels and guest houses allegedly used as scam centres.

Investigators seized hundreds of computers, mobile phones and SIM‑box devices capable of operating hundreds of SIM cards simultaneously to send thousands of fraudulent calls and messages.

In April, 2026, 150 individuals, including 133 Chinese nationals, 13 Vietnamese, and one Malaysian, were arrested at a luxury hotel in Ambakandavila.

Recruiters of these scam networks advertise “online marketing” or “data entry” jobs on social media platforms to lure workers, whose passports are then confiscated and they are forced to operate scam campaigns.

Pig Butchering is the primary revenue stream for scammers, in which they build a romantic relationship with victims online before convincing them to invest in fake platforms.

Scammers also use VPNs to fake addresses and hack social media accounts to solicit money.

The report mentioned cases of hacked WhatsApp accounts being used to trick victims into depositing money into local private bank accounts via “Phishing” links.

The report alleged that Chinese and Nigerian nationals are the main operators of such networks and that these centres are directly linked to international criminal syndicates in Myanmar and Cambodia.

—IANS

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