The Police have continued to see an increase in non-banking related phishing scams involving spoofed e-mails, text messages and false advertisements relating to parcel deliveries and cheap deals. Since August 2021, more than 93 victims had fallen prey to such scams, with losses amounting to at least $140,000.
The victims of such phishing scams would receive spoofed emails or text messages purportedly sent from delivery companies such as SingPost and DHL. These phishing emails and text messages would usually prompt the victims to check on the status of their parcel deliveries by clicking on the link included in the emails and text messages. In some cases, the victims would receive pop-up advertisements offering cheap deals on food and household items. Upon clicking on the advertisements or links, the victims would be redirected to fraudulent websites where they would be required to provide their credit/debit card details and a One-Time Password (OTP). Most of the victims only realised that they had been scammed when they discovered unauthorised transactions made using their credit/debit cards.
Members of the public are advised to adopt the following crime prevention measures:
Do not click on links provided in unsolicited emails and text messages.
If the price is too good to be true, it probably is. Purchase only from reputable sources, especially for high-value items.
Always verify the authenticity of the information with the official website or sources.
Contact your card issuing bank immediately if you receive an OTP and did not make any online transactions.
Always verify the merchant details indicated in the OTP text message/notification before providing your OTP. Do not key or input your OTP on any payment pages if you are not making
the transaction.
Never disclose your personal or Internet banking details and OTP to anyone.
Report any fraudulent credit/debit card charges to your bank and cancel your card immediately.
If you have information related to such crimes or if you are in doubt, please call the Police hotline at 1800-255-0000, or submit it online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness. Please dial ‘999’ if you require urgent Police assistance.
For more information on scams, members of the public can visit www.scamalert.sg or call the Anti-Scam Hotline at 1800-722-6688. Join the ‘Spot the Signs. Stop the Crimes’ campaign at www.scamalert.sg/fight by signing up as an advocate to receive up-to-date messages and share them with your family and friends. Together, we can help stop scams and prevent our loved ones from becoming the next victim.
Source: Singapore Police Force