Last updated on June 26, 2026

Sarathi was enjoying a peaceful university vacation in her hometown.

One morning, she checked her phone.

17 missed calls?

Alarmed, she saw they were all from an unfamiliar number.

She immediately called back.

Sarathi: “Hello… who’s this? I had several missed calls from this number.”

Unknown Caller: “Hello, Sarathi. It’s Damith.”

Sarathi: “Damith?” she asked, puzzled.

Unknown Caller: “Damith… Thulwan’s friend. We stay at the same boarding house.”

Sarathi: “Oh, right. What happened? Where’s Thulwan?”

Unknown Caller: “Relax. Thulwan’s fine. We had a small party last night that went on pretty late.”

Sarathi: “A party? Thulwan never mentioned that.”

Unknown Caller: “Come on, don’t be hard on him. It was just a small gathering, nothing worth talking about.”

Sarathi: “I see… So where is he now?”

Unknown Caller: “He’s asleep. Doesn’t Thulwan have work tomorrow?”

Sarathi: “Yes, why?”

Unknown Caller: “We’re about to leave for our shift, and if he sleeps like this, he won’t wake up in time for work. We wanted to set an alarm on his phone, but I don’t know the password.”

Sarathi: “So what are you going to do?”

Unknown Caller: “If you know the password, tell me. I’ll set the alarm for him.”

Without thinking much about it, Sarathi told Damith the password.

Unknown Caller: “Thanks, Sarathi. I’ll take care of it.”

He then hung up.

Later, when Thulwan woke up, he called Sarathi as usual. After hearing what had happened, he replied,

Thulwan: “Who said that? I don’t know anyone named Damith, and nobody by that name stays at my boarding house.”

Though puzzled, they brushed it off and forgot about it.

A week later, private videos of Sarathi and Thulwan stored on Thulwan’s phone appeared on a fake TikTok account and quickly spread among people they knew.

Devastated, Sarathi struggled to focus on her studies. While searching for help, her best friend came across Hithawathi website and shared the information with her.

Hithawathi helped Sarathi report and remove the fake TikTok account and advised her to inform Thulwan to reset his passwords immediately. Hithawathi further stressed the importance of never sharing personal information with strangers, regardless of how trustworthy they may seem.

Prevention Tips

  • Never share passwords, OTPs, PINs, or personal information with unverified individuals or websites.
  • Verify a person’s identity through a trusted channel before sharing sensitive information.
  • Use strong passwords for social media accounts and mobile devices.
  • Protect personal photos and information with appropriate security measures.
  • Report fake accounts and online harassment immediately.
  • Contact Hithawathi for guidance if you encounter suspicious or unsafe online incidents.