SPF: More than S$259K losses suffered by Singapore victims from courier phishing scams since June

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Police Force (SPF) is warning the public about a rise in phishing scams disguised as parcel delivery problems after victims lost more than S$259,000 in less than three weeks.

SPF said 43 cases have been reported since June 24, including 20 reports on July 13 alone. The scam starts with what looks like a routine delivery message.

Victims receive an SMS from a number using the +212 country code, linked to Morocco, or an email from a random-looking address pretending to represent courier companies such as Ninja Van or J&T Express. The message claims a parcel can’t be delivered because of an invalid address and asks the recipient to update their details within 24 hours.

A tiny delivery fee leads to much bigger losses

The link in the message takes victims to a fake website designed to resemble the courier’s real site. They are then asked to pay a small redelivery fee, usually between S$0.06 and S$1.64.

After entering their bank card details and approving the payment through their banking app or digital token, scammers gain access to their card information. In some cases, victims’ credit cards were added to Google Pay or Apple Pay without their knowledge.

Many only realised something was wrong after spotting unauthorised transactions on their bank or card statements.

Police urge the public to stop and check first

SPF is urging people to slow down before responding to unexpected delivery messages, especially if they create a sense of urgency.

The police advise the public to:

• Add protection by downloading the ScamShield app, enabling two-factor or multi-factor authentication, and setting transaction limits for online banking

• Check suspicious messages, phone numbers and website links through official ScamShield channels.

• Tell the authorities, family members and friends about scam attempts, and report any fraudulent bank transactions immediately

“Anyone with information on such scams may call the Police Hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness,” SPF noted, adding “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.

Common messages are becoming scammers’ favourite scam tool

Parcel delivery notifications have become part of daily life for many people, making them an easy disguise for scammers. A request for just a few cents may seem harmless, but it can be enough to steal banking details and trigger much larger losses.

It’s worth taking a few extra seconds to verify a delivery message via the courier’s official app or website rather than following links sent by text or email. That small pause could save thousands of dollars.