The Prime Minister’s Office today strongly condemned fraudulent cryptocurrency scam advertisements circulating on social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, falsely featuring Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya and other prominent Sri Lankan figures.

A statement from the PM’s Office warned that these deceptive ads, operated by foreign entities, aim to mislead the public and exploit the trust associated with well-known personalities. Authorities have identified that these scam campaigns originate from fraudulent accounts based in Lithuania and are actively targeting Facebook users in Sri Lanka.

Similar fraudulent ads have previously misused the images of Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath, Minister of Science and Technology MP Chrishantha Abeysena, and journalists Amantha Perera and Sunanda Deshapriya, among others.

The Prime Minister’s Office issued a public advisory urging citizens to exercise extreme caution when encountering online advertisements promoting cryptocurrency investments, particularly those falsely claiming endorsements from government officials and public figures. It reiterated that no government official or ministry has endorsed any cryptocurrency investment scheme.

Despite repeated reports and removal requests, variations of these scams continue to appear on social media, raising serious concerns about Facebook’s failure to curb fraudulent advertising effectively. The PM’s Office called on Meta, Facebook’s parent company, to take stronger action to prevent the spread of these deceptive campaigns and protect Sri Lankan users from financial fraud.