Scammers may call your landline, digital phone, smartphone, or they may send you a text message. Learn about phone/text scams and security tips, including how to report each type of fraud or scam.

Common scams by phone call and text

Caller ID spoofing and other phone scams

Spoofing is when a caller intentionally changes the information transmitted to your caller ID display in order to disguise their identity. Scammers often use ‘neighbor spoofing’ so it appears that an incoming call is coming from a local number or spoof a number from a company or a government agency that you may already know and trust. If you answer, they use scam scripts to try and steal your money or valuable personal information, which can be used in fraudulent activity.

Protect yourself from deceptive callers

Deceitful or fraud calls have a trend nowadays where the fraudsters have the habit of making telephone conversations with you and lure you into a trap by playing mind games and other devious activities. Be conscious about these kinds of deceptive callers before providing your private and confidential information

Smishing/SMS phishing and other texting scamss

The text spam may try to lure you to a website that might install malware on your phone to steal your personal data.

Defend yourself from texting scams

We advise you not to be deceived by scam text messages. Remember the following facts:

• None of the government agencies, banks, or other legitimate businesses will ever request your personal financial information via text messages.

• Take your time. Smishing scams work by creating a false sense of urgency by demanding an immediate response.

• If you’re unsure, call the number, fraudsters don’t want to reply to phone calls and if they do the quality of the call and the lack of professionalism can be a sure giveaway.

• Never click on any links or call any phone numbers in an unsolicited text or email message.

• Don’t respond in any way to smishing messages, even to ask the sender to leave you alone. Responding verifies that your phone number is active, which tells the scammer to keep trying.

• Delete the message from your phone.

• Report the suspicious messages to your cell phone service carrier's spam/scam text reporting number or general customer service number.

Report a Fraud : service@dialog.lk

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