SCAM ALERT! WhatsApp caller, posing as MOM, asks for citizen’s NRIC number

Singapore — Just today, Facebook user Jasmine Chan posted on Complaint Singapore, a Facebook public group, that a number with an area code of +92 called her mom.

She stated, “My mum just received a WhatsApp call with an MOM logo as profile pic but with a number starting with +92 so I knew it was a scam but I played along.”

Alarmed and curious, Ms Chan then tried to converse with the man on the other line. The man started by asking about their vaccination status. She said, “Guy with Indian accent asked in English he was from MOM and asked if I have been vaccinated with 1 or 2 dose.”

The call then proceeded to get weirder as the man kept on asking for Ms Chan’s NRIC number. Ms Chan then gave the man a fake one, to which he responded, “Mdm not correct”. When she continued to give fake NRIC numbers, the man cursed at her with “fxxk You’s” and hung up the phone.

Ms Chan further asked how did the man even know that the NRIC number she gave out was a fake one, and wondered if he had a system to check.

One Facebook user replied that you can now verify if an NRIC number is correct online. If you go to this link, you can type in the information and check if an NRIC is valid.

With this, Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) advised the public in an advisory, how you can protect your NRIC number. They mentioned that companies can only ask for your NRIC number on the occasion that it is required by law and that they have to confirm your identity.

Remain vigilant, and when in doubt never give out your private information. /TISG