SINGAPORE: The police are urging everyone to be alert as livestream lucky draw scams are becoming relevant nowadays. In a statement issued by the authorities, they have received more than 33 reports of these scams since May 20, with victims losing more than $60,000.
According to investigations, the scammers would promote scratch cards or lottery tickets through Facebook Live, claiming that participants who joined may have a chance to win cash prizes. When the victims place their bets, the scammers would then claim they have won and ask for additional fees before they can claim their prizes, as reported by Shin Min Daily News.
Victims are asked to transfer funds via a PayNow QR code the majority of the time. Eventually, they would only realise that they had been scammed when they hadn’t received the money after the transfer, or when the scammers suddenly disappeared.
With this, the authorities are reminding the public not to transfer money to unverified individuals. More so, they are encouraging the public to verify any suspicious information first. If one is suspected of being scammed, it is best to immediately notify their banks and inform their family, friends, or the police.
Other related news
Scam cases in Singapore have remained a concern in recent months.
According to a monthly anti-scam report, the police received more than 3,000 scam reports last month, with victims suffering total losses of S$66.9 million.
The police said some victims were lured into WhatsApp chat groups after coming across advertisements for free investment courses on social media.
Read more about the news report here.
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