The Police would like to alert members of the public to a new variant of impersonation scam involving the impersonation of the Anti-Scam Centre (ASC) of the Singapore Police Force, and ScamShield.
In this scam variant, victims would receive phone calls purportedly from ASC or ScamShield. The scammers would inform the victims that their phone numbers had been used to conduct illegal activities related to investment scams. In some cases, the scammers would accurately state the victims’ full name and identification number, and request the victims to verify that the information was correct.
The Police will never ask for an individual’s personal details such as identification number, bank account details, SingPass password or 2FA OTP over phone or social messaging platforms such as WhatsApp to assist in investigations.
The Police would like to remind members of the public not to disclose your personal details to unknown persons without first ascertaining their identity. Members of the public are encouraged to adopt the following precautionary measures to avoid falling for scams:
- 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 send money to anyone you do not know or have not met in person before. Do not disclose your personal information, bank/card details and One-Time Passwords (OTPs) to anyone.
- CHECK – Check for scam signs with official sources (e.g. call the ScamShield Helpline at 1799, use the ScamShield app or visit www.scamshield.gov.sg), or with someone you trust. Look out for tell-tale signs of a phishing website. If in doubt, always verify the authenticity of information provided with the company directly.
- 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 are in doubt, please call the Police Hotline at 1800-255-0000, or submit a report online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness. 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.scamshield.gov.sg or call the ScamShield Helpline at 1799. Fighting scams is a community effort. Together, we can ACT Against Scams to safeguard our community!
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
20 November 2024 @ 6:50 PM