Four nabbed for fraud

NITF urges public to be alert:

Sandasen MARASINGHE

The National Insurance Trust Fund (NITF) has brought to light a scam by several persons who had obtained money fraudulently from dependents of government servants promising to make arrangements to provide compensation or benefits of the Agrahara Insurance Scheme.

NITF chairman Senaka Abeygunasekara told the Daily News that they have details of four persons who engaged in this activity and obtained a large sum of money from government servants and dependents of deceased government servants.

He added that the number of persons cheated by these fraudsters could be more than detected. Abeygunasekera requested the public to inform the Commercial Criminal Investigation Unit 2 of the Criminal Investigation Department if they were cheated or if they knew of anyone who was cheated.

The NITF chairman said that the NITF handed over the matter to the CID for investigation and four persons have been arrested.

He also said that the NITF received a large number of complaints from government servants and dependents of government servants stating that they received calls persuading them to deposit money in bank accounts to make arrangements to provide the compensation.

He added that most were asked to deposit between Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000. He also said those suspects were not attached to the NITF.