Police warn public about scammers who target victims through fake PayNow website

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Police Force issued an advisory on Friday (Dec 13) regarding a new ploy used by scammers to lure their victims to visit a fake PayNow phishing website.

These individuals first receive suspicious messages that say, “Pay Now: Your certificate expires in 3 days. Renew it now at <URL link> to keep your services active.”

When they click on the URL link, they are then redirected to a fake PayNow phishing website, where they are asked to provide their credit card details as well as other personal details, such as their phone number, billing address, name, date of birth, and/or email address.

However, PayNow does not have a website that allows people to key in these details, the Police said. Instead, these details should be given only through the official sites or apps of the user’s bank.

Additionally, PayNow does not issue any digital certificates to members of the public. Anyone with doubts or questions about the matter should call their respective banks through their official hotlines for assistance.

Here is a sample screenshot of a message from scammers with the phishing link provided by the Police.

The Police also provided a sample screenshot of a fake PayNow website.

The police have advised the public to adopt the following precautionary measures:

ADD – ScamShield App and security features (e.g. 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).

CHECK – Do not use clickable links or QR codes from unknown persons. Check for scam signs with official sources such as the ScamShield Helpline (1799).

You can also check the legitimacy of suspicious messages, phone numbers and website links via the ScamShield app or visit the ScamShield website at www.scamshield.gov.sg

TELL – Authorities, family, and friends about scams. Report any fraudulent transactions to your bank immediately.

Individuals with information about this type of crime or who have doubts about similar matters may call the Police hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness.

Those who need urgent Police assistance may call 999. The Police have assured the public that all information submitted will be kept strictly confidential.

“Fighting scams is a community effort. Together, we can ACT Against Scams to safeguard our community!” SPF added. Read the full advisory from the Singapore Police Force here./TISG

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