The Police would like to alert members of the public to be vigilant against a new variant of scam perpetuated via emails impersonating educational institutions to request for tuition or school fees. Since August 2025, there were at least 16 cases reported, with total losses amounting to at least $38,000.
In this scam variant, scammers would use compromised school email accounts to ask victims for urgent and prompt payment of school or tuition fees (refer to Annex A). Victims would be asked to make payment to a bank account number listed in the email and warned that failure to do so would lead to legal consequences. Victims would subsequently realise that they had been scammed after checking or receiving notifications from the schools.
The Police would like to advise members of the public to check with the school or education institution via official channels before transferring any money; especially for unscheduled payment requests. Members of the public are also advised not to use the clickable links or QR codes provided by unknown persons to make payments or transfers, or to download applications, without first verifying its legitimacy, as these can lead to fake bank websites that phish for banking credentials or malicious software.
The Police would also like to advise members of the public to adopt the following precautionary measures:
- 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, use the Money Lock feature of your bank to “lock up” a portion of your money so that it cannot be transferred out digitally by anyone, further protecting your savings from scams). Do not disclose your personal information, bank/card details and One-Time Passwords (OTPs) to anyone.
- CHECK – Check for scam signs with official sources such as the ScamShield app. Call and check with the 24/7 ScamShield Helpline at 1799.
- TELL – Tell the authorities, family and friends about scams. Report any fraudulent transactions to your bank immediately and make a police report.
If you are in doubt, call the 24/7 ScamShield Helpline at 1799 to check. For more information on scams, members of the public can visit www.scamshield.gov.sg. Fighting scams is a community effort. Together, we can ACT Against Scams to safeguard our community!
Annex A
Screenshot of Email ▼
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
23 August 2025 @ 10:00 AM