Last updated on April 22, 2026
Names and places mentioned here in are hypothetical.
With Avurudu approaching, Tharushi noticed colorful posts appearing across Facebook:
“Register now for Avurudu Kumari 2026 👑”
“Win exciting prizes and get featured online!”
It felt festive. Even exciting.
She had always enjoyed dressing up for Avurudu, dreaming of being that glamorous celebrity she once aspired to be, so she decided to take part. The page looked genuine, had many followers, comments, and even previous “winners.”
She filled out the form, name, phone number, social media profile, etc.
Then came the final step:
“Upload your best photo in Avurudu attire.”
She hesitated for a moment… then submitted it.
At first, everything seemed normal.
She received a message saying she had been “selected for the next round.” She was asked to share the post and get votes. Friends reacted, commented, and supported her. It felt real.
But a few days later, the tone changed.
A message arrived from an unknown number.
Her photo was attached.
“If you don’t cooperate, we will publish and misuse your images.”
Confused and frightened, she tried to go back to the original page.
No trace could be found. What felt like a celebration had quietly turned into fear.
Shocked and unsure of what to do, Tharushi searched online and came across awareness guidance from
Hithawathi. She reached out and explained her situation.
Hithawathi informed her that she had fallen victim to a fake online competition scam, where scammers create convincing pages to collect personal information and photos that can later be misused. Since it was still only a threat, she was also advised to file a complaint with the police online.
She was also made aware of the warning signs she had missed:
- Unverified pages
- Requests for personal details
- Uploading photos to unknown platforms
Precaution Tips:
- Always verify pages before participating in online competitions
- Avoid sharing personal details with unknown sources
- Be cautious when uploading personal photos online
- Check for official verification (blue tick, official website)
- Report suspicious pages immediately
- Seek help from trusted organizations if threatened
Reference