The Department of Posts issued an urgent warning regarding a phishing scam where fraudsters misuse the department's name and official website to target mobile users via SMS.

Scammers inform victims that a payment is necessary to receive a parcel, directing them to enter debit or credit card details into a fraudulent online payment gateway.

Once customers input their sensitive information, criminals illegally withdraw funds from their bank accounts.

Authorities report a high volume of public complaints from individuals who received these messages or suffered financial loss.

While the Criminal Investigation Department and relevant agencies received prior notifications about the scheme, the Postal Department observed a significant spike in activity during recent days.

Officials state this fraudulent process damages the reputation of the state and the department while posing a severe risk to public financial security.

The public must exercise extreme caution regarding SMS links, fake websites, and online payment requests.

The department advises citizens to avoid clicking on unknown links and never share bank card details or One-Time Passwords (OTP) with third-party websites.

Senior officials emphasised that the department does not request such payments through SMS links.