May 16, 2020, 11:24 PM
151 phishing scams were reported to the police from Apr. 7 to May 7, 2020.
According to a May 16 police news release, this number is a whopping 655 per cent more than the monthly average of 20 phishing scam cases reported in the first three months of 2020.
The number of phishing scams also increased by 129 cases to 137 cases in the first four months of 2020, compared to eight cases in the same period last year.
Police stated that the increase in phishing scam cases occurred during Singapore's current circuit breaker period.
How victims were scammed
Members of the public who have fallen victim to such phishing scams would receive e-mails or text messages purportedly sent from a company they know or trust.
This includes banks, government agencies, trade unions like NTUC, or companies such as SingPost, StarHub and Netflix.
The emails and messages will usually include fake offers or claims to trick victims into clicking a link.
Image courtesy of SPF.
Image courtesy of SPF.
Some of these fake offers or claims include special deals, government payout during the Covid-19 period, or outstanding payment for a parcel.
Image courtesy of SPF.
Upon clicking on the links, victims will be redirected to fraudulent websites where they will be required to provide their credit/debit card details and a one-time password (OTP).
Image courtesy of SPF.
Police added that most victims only realised that they have been scammed when they discovered unauthorised transactions in their bank accounts for various online purchases or payments made using their credit/debit card.
Prevention measures
To prevent these crimes from happening, police advise the public to follow these measures:
- Do not click on URL links provided in unsolicited emails and text messages.
- Always verify the authenticity of the information with the official website or sources.
- Never disclose your personal or Internet banking details and OTP to anyone.
- Report any fraudulent credit/debit card charges to your bank and cancel your card immediately.
To provide any information relating to phishing scam cases, you can call the police hotline at 1800-255-0000, or submit your info online.
For urgent police assistance, dial '999'.
You may also call the anti-scam helpline at 1800-722-6688 or visit this website to seek scam-related advice.
Top images courtesy of SPF and via Unsplash.
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