Police have received at least 500 reports on credits-for-sex scam from January to May 2015 with the amount cheated amounting to more than S$1.25 million.
2. The scam involves females befriending male victims through social media platforms such as Wechat and then asking them to buy purchase cards or online shopping credits in exchange for a meet-up, date or the promise of sexual service. They will typically ask the victims to buy the cards through AXS machines and send images of the receipts together with PIN numbers to designated email accounts for them to claim the credits. Sometimes, other members of the syndicates will contact the victims and ask for further purchases of online shopping credits.
3. In June 2015, Police received reports on a new variant of the scam. Victims were asked to hand over their ATM cards and reveal the PIN numbers before they could meet the females. They were instructed to leave their ATM cards at certain locations in public areas and were told the cards would be returned after meeting the females. These cards were collected by unknown persons and the monies in the accounts linked to the ATM cards were pilfered. In some instances, these accounts were used to receive funds from other victims of crime.
4. On 16 June 2015, officers from the Commercial Affairs Department arrested a 22-year-old man in relation to the scam. The subject will be charged in court for cheating related offences on 18 June 2015 at 2.30 pm.
5. To avoid becoming a victim of this scam:
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Be wary of strangers who befriend you online
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Do not provide personal details about yourself when engaging with other internet users
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Do not share your payment receipts containing details such as PIN numbers with anyone
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If you have any information relating to this scam, call the Police hotline at
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1800-255 0000, or dial ‘999’ for urgent Police assistance.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
17 June 2015 @ 7:30 PM