If you are someone who recently received a text message that claimed to be from someone who had kidnapped one of your loved ones and demanded you transfer over money, you are not alone.

And in case it wasn't clear already, the text message is a scam, as confirmed by the Singapore Police Force on Monday (Jun. 1).

Police received a number of reports

In a news release on Jun. 1, the Singapore Police Force said that they have received numerous reports from members of the public that they have received SMSes claiming that their loved ones had been kidnapped.

The text message also demanded money as a ransom, in order to ensure the safety of the purportedly kidnapped loved ones.

Here's an example of what one of these text messages might look like:

The SPF has clarified that the text messages are a scam.

Advice for the public

SPF has advised members of the public to adopt the following measures if they receive such SMSes:

• Don’t panic – Remain calm and do not reply to the SMS. Block and report the number as spam.
• Don’t believe – Contact your loved one immediately to confirm their safety.
• Don’t give – Do not transfer any money as instructed by the SMSes.

Anyone who wishes to provide any information relating to such cases can call the police hotline at 1800-255-0000, or submit information online here.

For scam-related advice, members of the public may call the anti-scam helpline at 1800-722-6688 or visit the Scam Alert website.

Top image compiled from photos by Paul Hanaoka on Unsplash and a Mothership reader.