The Police would like to alert the public to a new trend where scammers posted fake Facebook job advertisements or sent unsolicited WhatsApp messages to victims, offering a part-time job as an affiliate marketing associate on e-commerce platforms.
In these cases, victims would come across fake Facebook advertisements or receive unsolicited WhatsApp messages from unknown numbers offering a part-time job with a daily salary of between $300 and $500. The message also included a WhatsApp number as a point of contact to sign up for the job. When victims contacted the number provided, the scammer would explain that the job required the victim to help e-commerce platform merchants improve their sales by making advance purchases. The scammer would assure the victims that their money would eventually be refunded, and a 10% commission would be paid to the victims. The scammers would then provide an e-commerce platform item link to the victims and instruct them to provide a screenshot of the item in their shopping cart. Thereafter, the victims would be instructed to make payment for the item by transferring the money to a bank account number provided by the scammer. This process would be repeated several times, beginning with low cost items before progressing to more expensive items. The scammers would initially refund the victims the cost of the item and the commission, but would later claim to have encountered issues with the refund and would stop paying the victims. Victims would realise that they had been scammed when the scammer stopped refunding them and became uncontactable.
The Police would like to advise the members of public to adopt the following precautionary measures:
- If it is too good to be true, it probably is. Do not accept dubious job offers that offer lucrative returns for minimal effort;
- Always complete your purchase on the e-commerce platform itself. Avoid making advance payments or direct bank transfers to the seller as this method does not offer any protection; and
- Never share your bank account details with anyone. Your personal bank account is for your own usage and you are responsible for all transactions made through your bank account.
If you have information related 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. Please dial ‘999’ if you require urgent Police assistance.
For more information on scams, members of the public can visit www.scamalert.sg. or call the Anti-Scam Hotline 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. Together, we can help stop scams and prevent our loved ones from becoming the next victim.
Screenshots of recruitment message
Screenshots of messages exchanged between scammer and victim
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
12 May 2021 @ 5:45 PM