The Police would like to alert members of the public on the resurgence of phishing scams involving malware installed on victim’s phones to steal their banking credentials. Since June 2022, at least 66 victims have fallen prey, with total losses amounting to at least $207,000.
Members of the public would receive advertisements for cleaning services via social messaging platforms on their Android mobile devices. A url link to a web page would then be sent to the victims after they indicated their interest to engage the cleaning services. The scammers would tell the victims to make payment by downloading an application using the link provided on the web page. The application would direct victims to make payments via spoofed ibanking login sites using their online banking credentials or direct victims to spoofed websites to enter their credit card or debit card information. Unknown to the victims, the application (which is believed to contain malware) would redirect their banking credentials and SMSes from the victim’s’ phones to the scammers. The victim would only realise that they had been scammed when they discovered unauthorised transactions in their bank accounts or credit/debit card facilities.
Scammers tend to offer applications that are outside the App store and individuals should be wary if they are asked to download an Android Package Kit (APK) file on their devices. The Police would like to advise members of the public to follow these crime prevention measures:
- Download files directly from official App Stores and verified sources to ensure that the downloaded files are free from malware or viruses;
- Ensure that your mobile devices are installed with anti-virus software and malware removal tools to detect and remove malware; and
- Ensure that your mobile devices’ operating systems and applications are updated regularly to be protected by the latest security patches and vulnerabilities.
If you have any information related to such crimes, please call the Police Hotline at 1800-255-0000, or submit it online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness. All information will be kept strictly confidential. If you require urgent Police assistance, please dial ‘999’.
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.
Victims who chanced upon cleaning service in Facebook/Instagram and would be directed to download an application via a link.
After clicking on the link, victims would be asked to download an application (APK file) that is offered outside the app store.
After downloading the app, the victim would need to book an appointment, provide their home address and make payment.
Victims would then be led to a spoofed banking site to enter banking credentials. The spoofed web page + address bar is not opened in a web browser. It is opened in a web browser embedded in the scam app. Victims would realise unauthorised transactions have been made after receiving bank alerts.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
06 December 2022 @ 10:46 PM