- Government Official Impersonation Scams on the rise in Singapore.
- Over S$6.7 million lost to scams in September 2024 alone.
- Authorities advise public on precautionary measures against scams.
Scammers posing as bank officers and government officials have tricked Singaporeans out of millions, prompting urgent warnings from authorities.
Scam Alert: Fake Bank Officers and Government Officials
According to SPF, a new wave of impersonation scams is hitting Singapore.
Scammers are pretending to be bank staff and government workers.
They’re tricking people into giving away money.
The Singapore Police Force (SPF) and Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) are warning everyone about this.
In September 2024, at least 100 people fell for these scams.
The total losses were more than S$6.7M.
How the Impersonation Scam Works
The scammers use a clever trick.
First, they call pretending to be from a bank.
They might say there’s a problem with your credit card.
Or they might talk about strange transactions on your account.
If you say you don’t know about these, they transfer you to another fake person.
This new person pretends to be from the police or MAS.
Banks Impersonated | Government Bodies Impersonated |
---|---|
DBS | Singapore Police Force (SPF) |
OCBC | Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) |
UOB | – |
Standard Chartered Bank | – |
These fake officials might even do video calls.
They wear uniforms and use fake IDs.
They might have backgrounds with SPF or MAS logos.
Then, they ask you to move your money to a “safety account”.
They say this is to protect you from crime.
But it’s all a lie.
How to Protect Yourself
The police have shared some important tips to stay safe from scams.
Here’s what you can do:
- Turn on International Call Blocking on your phone.
- Use Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for your online accounts.
- Ask your bank about locking your money transfer limits.
- Always check with official sources if you’re unsure.
- Use the ScamShield app and website to spot scams.
Remember, the police will never ask you to transfer money to a “safety account“.
If someone asks you to do this, it’s a scam.
What to Do If You’ve Been Scammed
If you think you’ve been scammed, act fast.
Call your bank right away.
Tell them to stop any money transfers.
Then, make a police report.
You can call the police at 999 for urgent help.
For scam-related information, call the ScamShield helpline at 1799.
Community Effort Needed
The SPF and MAS say fighting scams is a team effort.
They want everyone to help spread the word about these scams.
Tell your friends and family about what you’ve learned.
Share this article with them.
The more people who know, the safer we all are.
As quoted in the advisory, authorities emphasised, “Fighting scams is a community effort. Together, we can ACT Against Scams to safeguard our community!”
This shows how important it is for everyone to work together.
Do you think Singapore is doing enough to combat these sophisticated scams?