November 19, 2019, 01:17 PM
As of November 2019, more than S$40,000 has been cheated from individuals who have fallen victim to fake Changi Airport lucky draw scams.
According to the Singapore Police Force (SPF), between July and October 2019, there were were more than 30 reported cases of lucky draw scams that claimed to be affiliated to Changi Airport Group (CAG).
How the scam works
The scam involved scammers calling victims by phone or through the Viber app informing them that they had won a prize in one of CAG’s lucky draw campaigns.
One such campaign they claimed to be affiliated with was “Changi Millionaire".
Image by Facebook user Peter Lee
The victims were then asked to provide their personal information, such as credit or debit card information and bank account information, to claim their prizes.
The scammers would also instruct them to provide the One-Time Password (OTP) that had been sent to them.
Scammers also cheated the victims of money by asking them to purchase iTunes cards and send the information to the scammers through the phone.
In more recent cases, scammers used the victims’ credit card information to top-up their Singtel Dash accounts before using the Dash accounts to make fraudulent transactions.
Changi Airport Group responds
In a press release from Aug. 21, CAG clarified that that they would not ask for personal details such as bank account or identification numbers of winners over the phone.
CAG asked that anyone who receives a suspicious communication claiming to be from CAG or its representatives contact [email protected] or call +65 9658 5945.
Image screen captured from Changi Airport website
Police advice to the public
SPF has advised the public to adopt the following measure in order to prevent themselves from falling victim to these crimes:
- Don’t be impulsive - Beware of unusual requests from strangers or even your social media contacts
- Don’t believe - Be wary of claims that you have won a prize, especially if you have not participated in any campaigns or lucky draws
- Don’t give - Do not transfer money or give out your personal information, bank account or credit/debit card details. Never give out your One-Time Password (OTP) to anyone, including your family and friends.
The Police urge anyone who has any information pertaining to these scams to call their hotline at 1800-255-0000, or to submit the information online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness.
There is an anti-scam helpline available at 1800-722-6688, and additional information about scam-related advice is available at www.scamalert.sg.
If you are in need of urgent police assistance, please dial ‘999.’
Top image via iShop Changi website
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