The Police would like to remind the public to be discerning when shopping online, especially when ordering pricey and seasonal food items (e.g. seafood, black gold musang king durian, cherries, wagyu beef) through online platforms. Since February 2023, at least 168 victims have fallen prey to e-commerce scams involving the sale of food items, with losses amounting to at least S$20,000. The Police have received reports lodged against allegedly fraudulent Facebook pages such as Grocery Retail, Department Store, Juewei Food, Baihui Mall and Ocean Fishery Exchange. Investigations are ongoing.
Scammers pretending to be “sellers” would entice victims by posting offers or sponsored advertisements of food items on online platforms such as Facebook. Victims who came across the food deals on Facebook would then contact the sellers directly via Facebook Messenger. After confirming the price and order details, victims were told to make payment to the seller’s bank account via PayNow. Victims would only realise that they had been scammed when they did not receive the goods and/or the “seller” becomes uncontactable.
The Police would like to advise members of the public to adopt the following precautionary measures:
- ADD - ScamShield App and set security features (e.g., enable two-factor (2FA) or multifactor authentication for banks, social media, Singpass accounts; set transaction limits on internet banking transactions, including PayNow)
- CHECK - for scam signs with official sources (e.g., visit www.scamalert.sg or call the Anti-Scam Hotline at 1800-722-6688). If the price is too good to be true, it probably is. Purchase only from authorised sellers or reputable sources and be wary of purported time-sensitive deals due to limited stocks available. Avoid making upfront payments to bank accounts belonging to unknown individuals and, whenever possible, avoid making advance payments or direct bank transfers to the seller. Always verify the seller’s profile through customer reviews and ratings.
- TELL - authorities, family, and friends about this scam so they do not fall for it. Report the fraudulent pages to Facebook.
If you have 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. 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. Fighting scams is a community effort. Together, we can ACT Against Scams and prevent our loved ones from becoming the next victim!
Screenshots of reported Facebook Pages:
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
06 March 2023 @ 6:55 PM