COLOMBO, June 25 -- Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (Sri Lanka CERT) has issued a fresh warning to the public, particularly senior citizens, after a retired professional engineer lost more than Rs 9 million to a sophisticated online investment scam that operated through WhatsApp.

The victim, a nearly 70-year-old retired engineer with more than four decades of experience in both the public and private sectors, was financially secure and familiar with digital technology, according to Sri Lanka CERT.

Despite her professional background and regular use of online banking, ride-hailing applications and other internet-based services, she was deceived by fraudsters who promised exceptionally high investment returns through a WhatsAp...