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Police warn against parcel delivery scams; 25 victims lost S$38K

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SINGAPORE: The Singapore Police Force said in a Nov 1 (Wednesday) advisory that there have been at least 25 victims of parcel delivery scams since October, with losses amounting to S$38,000. Scammers in this type of scheme obtain the personal and banking details of their victims on the pretext of needing additional delivery charges.

“With the upcoming festive period and major online shopping events (i.e. Singles Day, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, 12.12 sales or Christmas sales), members of the public are advised to be more cautious of such scams,” said the Police, who also provided the examples below.

Screengrab/https://www.police.gov.sg/

Scammers send victims emails or text messages asking for an additional payment for the items they bought to be delivered. The messages or emails look like they come from Singapore Post (SingPost) or other postage and eCommerce logistics firms. However, the messages and emails also contain a phishing link. 

The people who click on this link are led to a fraudulent lookalike website and are asked to enter their personal details and/or banking credentials. They end up with unauthorised transactions made to their bank accounts or credit cards and learn that they have been scammed after the perpetrators have gained access to their accounts. The sample below is also from SPF.

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Screengrab/https://www.police.gov.sg/

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 set up transaction limits for internet banking transactions, including PayNow).

CHECK – For scam signs with official sources (e.g. ScamShield WhatsApp bot @ https://go.gov.sg/scamshield-bot, call the Anti-Scam Helpline on 1800-722-6688, or visit www.scamalert.sg). Delivery charges are usually paid upfront when purchases are made. SingPost will never send you a text message or email requesting additional payment through an embedded link that demands that you give SingPost your personal or banking information.

Any payment to SingPost can only be made via the SingPost Mobile App, at SAM machines, or at any post office. Please refer to https://www.singpost.com/online-security-you to stay alert against scams. Always verify the authenticity of the information with the official website or sources, even if you are expecting the delivery of a parcel and do not click on links provided in unsolicited messages or emails. Look out for tell-tale signs of a phishing website, and never disclose your personal or banking credentials, including one-time passwords (OTPs), to anyone. Always check the transaction details before approving any transactions (Refer to Annex B)!

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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.

Screengrab/https://www.police.gov.sg/

The Police have assured the public that all information submitted will be kept strictly confidential. More information regarding scams may be found at www.scamalert.sg, or the public may call the Anti-Scam helpline at 1800-722-6688. “Fighting scams is a community effort. Together, we can ACT Against Scams to safeguard our community!” the Police added. /TISG

Read also: NEA and MAS Issue Scam Alert: Beware of Dengue Flyer Scam

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