SINGAPORE: The Public Affairs Department of the Singapore Police Force issued a warning on Feb 6 (Thursday) concerning e-commerce scams involving the sale of Pokémon Trading Cards, as 53 cases were reported with total losses amounting to at least $163,000 since the beginning of the year.
The scams, which have been on the rise, occurred after buyers responded to trading card listings on Carousell and Facebook. The fraudsters would then ask to move their conversations to other platforms, including Telegram and WhatsApp, and the buyers would place their orders. After that, they would be asked to pay for them using PayNow or bank transfers.
The Police also shared samples of listings and messages from scammers.
The buyers, however, would never receive the products and then realize that they could no longer contact the supposed sellers. This would lead them to the realization that they had been scammed.
“We would like to remind members of the public to exercise caution when buying products from non-authorised platforms. Keep communications within the platform and transact in person so that you can inspect the products before making payment,” the Police said.
The SPF also warned the public to be wary of e-commerce scam red flags, which include large discounts for faster transactions and added that people should not transfer money to individuals they do not know. Nor should anyone disclose their personal information, internet banking, or One-Time passwords to any other person.
The Police are also encouraging members of the public to adopt the following crime prevention measures:
- Add the ScamShield App to block and filter SMSes, and set up security features for payment accounts.
- Check for scam signs with official sources such as the ScamShield Helpline (1799), the ScamShield app, a trusted person, or through www.scamshield.gov.sg.
- Tell family and friends, as well as the authorities, about the scams you encounter, including reporting suspicious listings or user profiles through an in-app reporting function within Carousell and Facebook. Users on the platform may also initiate in-app blocking to prevent unwanted messages from would-be scammers.
Individuals who suspect they have been scammed should immediately inform their banks so fraudulent transactions will be blocked, and they should file a police report.
“If you are in doubt, call the 24/7 ScamShield Helpline at 1799 to check. For more information on scams, members of the public can visit www.scamshield.gov.sg. Fighting scams is a community effort. Together, we can ACT Against Scams to safeguard our community!” the Police added. /TISG
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