The Police would like to alert members of the public to a phishing scam variant featuring scammers impersonating the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) and targeting victims via e-mail. Since 1 January 2024, at least 6 victims have fallen prey to such scams, with losses amounting to at least $3,000.
In these cases, victims would receive unsolicited emails from scammers purportedly from “IRAS”, informing that they were eligible for refunds due to prior overcharge. Victims would be provided with a weblink, that would direct them to a phishing website masquerading as the IRAS website. Subsequently, victims would be required to select their preferred refund method, via debit or credit card. The victims would then provide their card details and One-Time Passwords (OTPs) on the phishing website. They would only discover that they had been scammed when they were later notified of unauthorised transactions made on their debit or credit cards.
IRAS will never ask for your online banking username/password, or your credit/debit card details, for tax refund purposes. IRAS processes refunds by automatically refunding any tax credits directly into taxpayers’ registered bank accounts or PayNow-NRIC/FIN/UEN accounts. Taxpayers can check for updates on any refund via the IRAS’ myTax Portal. For further details, please visit IRAS’ website at https://www.iras.gov.sg/quick-links/refunds.
The Police would like to advise members of the public to adopt the following precautionary measures:
- ADD – Add the ScamShield App to protect yourself from scam calls and SMSes. Set security features (e.g. set up transaction limits for internet banking transactions, enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA), Multifactor Authentication for banks.
- CHECK – Check for scam signs with official sources (e.g. ScamShield WhatsApp bot @ https://go.gov.sg/scamshield-bot, call the Anti-Scam Helpline on 1800-722-6688, or visit www.scamalert.sg). Look out for tell-tale signs of a phishing website. Do not click on suspicious emails and always verify the authenticity of claims of problems with your income tax status with the official IRAS website. Check the vendor’s name and charge stated in the One-Time Password message before confirming any the transactions.
- TELL – Tell the authorities, family, and friends about scams. Report any fraudulent transactions to your bank immediately.
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/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 Helpline at 1800-722-6688. Fighting scams is a community effort. Together, we can ACT Against Scams to safeguard our community!
Annex A
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
06 March 2024 @ 8:45 PM