In December, Singaporeans misplaced over S$8.5 million to scammers. Of this sum, about S$2.7 million was misplaced to phishing scams masquerading as OCBC over the Christmas weekend alone.
Some scammers are even worse than scum, and proceed to prey on the identical victims by operating a “restoration room” rip-off. This principally exploits our emotions of loss and disgrace, and the way the scammers do it’s that they faux to be somebody who will help you get again your cash, comparable to a “financial institution officer”, the “police”, or the “CIA”, and even the “FBI” (do not snicker – that is precisely what occurred to my mother).
It’s unhappy however this can proceed to occur if we’re not cautious. And whereas this time the scammers pretended to be OCBC, it may very properly be DBS or UOB tomorrow, and even SingPost, the police, the Ministry of Well being, or another establishment.
If you click on on suspicious hyperlinks or enter your login particulars into fraudulent web sites, this can be very tough for the financial institution / PayPal / monetary establishment to have the ability to confirm whether or not that specific transaction is genuine or not.
And whereas it’s simple for us to level fingers and say – SingTel ought to have been extra cautious! OCBC / DBS ought to have warned us! – the reality is, the scammers are at all times altering their techniques.
As soon as a quantity has been flagged as a possible rip-off quantity, they’ll simply simply purchase a brand new SIM card and use a brand new contact to proceed dishonest extra victims.
As soon as a rip-off tactic has been uncovered, they’ll simply change their story.
So should you do not learn to watch out and shield your self, chances are you’ll very properly turn out to be the very subsequent sufferer.
And the worst factor is, you are not more likely to get any of the cash again. By the point you realised you’ve got been scammed, the scammers would have possible already made a number of transactions and switch to cover their digital footprints, making it extraordinarily tough to hint it again to them.
Based mostly on what we have seen to date, there are a couple of kind of scams:
- Parcel / Supply rip-off
- E-commerce rip-off (money on supply)
- Tech assist rip-off
- Pretending to be authorities e.g. “police” scams, “MOH” covid-19 scams
- Job scams
- Love scams
- Funding scams
- Phishing scams
I can solely think about that extra variations and scams will evolve and we’ll be including to that checklist because the years go on.
I’ve written extensively about scams up to now, however this is a fast abstract of (up to date) recommendations on how one can attempt to preserve secure:
1. Don’t decide up any calls that begin with a +65.
Don’t decide up any calls from a quantity that begins with a +65. That is simply an abroad scammer masking their id as an area line to cheat you.
2. Don’t reply to unsolicited textual content messages or emails.
If you’re utilizing an iPhone, download the ScamShield app here which ought to assist to guard you towards recognized rip-off numbers which were reported to the police.
And my mantra is, if somebody wants to achieve you urgently, they’ll at all times discover different methods to contact you.
3. By no means click on on doubtful URL hyperlinks.
No respectable establishment or organisation will ever ship you a bit.ly hyperlink! (and any that does is being very unprofessional so you may ignore them).
4. Even when a hyperlink seems legit, look out for potential crimson flags.
It is going to solely take a number of seconds so that you can run a Google search to confirm if a hyperlink is legit.
Earlier this yr, even my husband practically fell prey to a Singpost SMS rip-off the place the URL was singpost.sg. Whereas it seems legit, a fast search on-line will present you that the URL is faux.
I additionally virtually obtained fooled by a Singpost rip-off SMS a number of months in the past which contained a superbly legitimate-looking URL (of which I can not recall, as a result of I’ve deleted the SMS). The SMS was supposedly for monitoring the standing of a supply, and coincidentally, I used to be certainly anticipating a registered parcel from Singpost at that time limit as properly.
The web site additionally seemed precisely like Singpost’s, however after I scrolled down and tried clicking round to substantiate, I spotted that the “Investor Relations” hyperlink didn’t work. Which is unnecessary, as a result of any listed firm will certainly ensure their IR web page is working.
That little error by the scammers saved me from placing in my private particulars into that dodgy-but-perfectly-legitimate-looking web site.
However now that I’ve shared this, I will not be shocked if future scammers ensure their IR hyperlinks is working. They adapt quick, you see.
5. Double-check with mates or members of the family first.
Earlier than you fill in and submit any private particulars, make any funds and even proper earlier than you click on any hyperlinks, it by no means hurts to examine with somebody you belief.
A second eye would possibly very properly spot one thing that you have neglected.
6. Confirm the authenticity of the knowledge with the official web site or sources.
Should you’re lazy and do not even need to double-check, then the fault is totally on you.
Should you tried checking however the official supply(s) aren’t responding / are gradual to reply, you may at all times simply ignore the hyperlink / cost request / verification request.
7. NEVER ever disclose your private particulars, Web banking particulars or One-Time Password to anybody!
Should you give scammers your login particulars, that is on you.
Should you give scammers your OTP, then that is on you too.
So…simply do not.
8. Should you obtain an OTP for a transaction you did not make, examine or report it.
An OTP could possibly be an indication that somebody has logged in along with your on-line banking credentials (or bank card / account particulars) and is making an attempt to make a cost, which triggered the OTP SMS. So should you’re not doing any transactions then, this might be one crimson flag to examine.
Typically, it could possibly be a real error – this occurred in my case the place somebody transacted on a platform and unintentionally keyed in my telephone quantity whereas organising their 2FA. I instantly referred to as DBS to examine after I acquired the OTP SMS.
It by no means hurts to double examine.
9. Solely entry cost portals through its official web site or cell banking app.
For the aged, you may even bookmark the official web sites for them in order that they will not click on on faux hyperlinks which might be being marketed on Google.
10. Have a behavior of checking your on-line statements no less than as soon as a month.
This not solely lets you spot unauthorized transactions, but additionally helps you get a greater sense of what you’ve got spent on, and might even prevent cash while you see subscriptions that you could be not be utilizing however are nonetheless being billed for.
Conclusion:
Scams have gotten extra commonplace lately. Even educated of us can fall sufferer to those scammers, which is why your finest protection is to at all times stay skeptical and further cautious. Having command of English helps as properly (for now, no less than till the scammers catch up), and when doubtful, at all times double-check with both your family members or the celebration itself / himself / herself.
With love,
Price range Babe