Netizen warns of ‘PUB’ refund scam, wrong spelling is the dead giveaway

A netizen took to social media to warn others about an email that claims to have been sent by PUB, the national water agency.

The email’s purpose is to inform recipients that their refund has been approved, but the word “refund” is misspelt as “reffund” at the beginning of the email.

Mr Amex Chiew posted a  screenshot of the email on the COMPLAINT SINGAPORE Facebook page on Sunday (June 5). 

He wrote, “Beware of the below PUB’s scam claiming that there is a refund waiting for you. Received the email this morning and note the mistake too. Haha  

Dont be blinded by the refund amount and gave your account ID, password and OTP. They will wipe out your account’s balance.”

According to the email he received, the recipient had been charged twice in their last bill and was eligible for a refund of $342.54.

Moreover, it carried a note of urgency, as it said the refund “expires on 7th june (sic), 2022.”

Mr Chiew’s email has been widely shared, and netizens commenting on it remarked on how sketchy it is.

Others said they, or someone they knew, had received it as well.

PUB issued an advisory on the matter on the same day, warning the public about “various text/email scams offering refund on your utility bill.”

The agency said that it never sends notifications by SMS, WhatsApp, or phone calls to contact customers concerning payments or refunds.

“If you receive any communication through these channels saying it’s from PUB, it is a scam,” PUB wrote.

It added a list of what to do when receiving such emails or texts.

DO NOT:

• Reply to the message

• Visit the website or open any attachments or links in the message

• Disclose any personal or payment/credit card information

Scammers may send emails from an official looking website with a slightly different web address, or other official looking messages with spelling and/or grammar mistakes.

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.

PUB will never ask for personal or financial information when we send text messages.

/TISG

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