The Police would like to alert members of the public to a recent uptick of phishing scams involving social media advertisements. Since 1 September 2024, at least 173 reports have been lodged, with losses amounting to at least $162,000.
In these cases, victims would encounter advertisements or sponsored posts promoting heavily discounted items (such as personal accessories, electronics, food items and cleaning supplies) on social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. Enticed by these attractive promotions, victims would click on the Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) embedded in them, and would:
- Be redirected to a phishing site that would prompt them to key in their bank card details and One-Time Passwords (OTPs) for the “purchase” of the purported goods; or
- Be asked to participate in a short survey and would be informed that they are entitled to purchase the items at even lower prices. Victims were then informed to enter their card details to pay for the delivery fees for the items.
Victims would realise that they had been scammed when they discovered unauthorised transactions charged to their debit/credit cards or when the items were not delivered at all.
The Police would like advise members of the public to to adopt the following precautionary measures to avoid falling for scams:
a) ADD – Add the ScamShield app and set security features (e.g. set up transaction limits for internet banking transactions, enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA), Multifactor Authentication for banks and e-wallets, opt not to activate overseas transaction for credit/debit cards). Do not send money to anyone you do not know or have not met in person before. Do not disclose your bank/card details and One-Time Passwords (OTPs) to anyone.
b) CHECK – Check for scam signs with official sources such as the ScamShield Helpline (1799). You can also check the legitimacy of suspicious messages, phone numbers and website links via the ScamShield app or visit the ScamShield website at www.scamshield.gov.sg. Check with the merchant listed in the advertisement or post to ensure that the post is reputable and legitimate.
c) TELL – Tell the authorities, family, and friends about scams. Report any fraudulent transactions to your bank immediately and report any suspicious advertisements to Facebook, Instagram or TikTok.
If you have any information relating 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/i-witness. 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.scamshield.gov.sg or call the ScamShield Helpline at 1799. Fighting scams is a community effort. Together, we can ACT Against Scams to safeguard our community!
Annex A
Screenshots of Fraudulent Advertisements▼
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
30 September 2024 @ 9:30 PM