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The Police would like to remind members of the public to stay vigilant against e-commerce scams involving the sale of cruise packages. Since 1 April 2026, there were at least 40 cases reported, with total losses amounting to at least $53,000.

In these cases, the victims would encounter listings of cruise packages (e.g., ‘Genting Dream’ cruise) on social media platforms such as Facebook. When the victims responded to the listings, the scammers would convince them to continue the conversations on WhatsApp. The victims would be asked to make payment via PayNow QR codes to book the packages. After the initial payment, the scammers would request the victims to make further payments for additional fees such as taxes and fuel charges. In some cases, the scammers sent fake booking itineraries to the victims. The victims only realised they had been scammed upon verification with the cruise operators through official communication channels or when the victims were informed by the Police.

The Police would like to remind members of the public to only book cruise packages from the official website of cruise operators or licensed travel agents. For the latest list of licensed travel agents in Singapore, please visit the Singapore Tourism Board’s (STB) Travel Agents & Tourist Guides Licensing System (“TRUST”) website at https://trust.stb.gov.sg. Be wary of e-commerce scam red flags such as sellers offering large discounts in exchange for faster transactions. Never transfer money to any unknown persons or persons whose identities you did not verify. 
Members of the public are encouraged to adopt the following precautionary measures:

• ADD – Add the ScamShield app to block out scam calls and filter out scam SMSes. 
  
  
• CHECK – Check for scam signs with official sources (e.g., ScamShield app or ScamShield website at www.scamshield.gov.sg).
  
  
• TELL – Tell the authorities, family, and friends if or when you encounter scams. If you suspect that you have fallen victim to a scam, call your bank immediately to report and block any fraudulent transactions. 

For more information on scams, members of the public can visit www.scamshield.gov.sg or call the 24/7 ScamShield Helpline at 1799. Anyone with information on such scams may call the Police Hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness.

Annex A – Screenshots of Conversations between Scammers and Victims

Annex B – Fake Booking Itinerary and Cruise Ticket