At least S$6.1 million lost to scammers impersonating ICA, China officials

A wave of sophisticated scams in Singapore has defrauded at least 72 victims of over S$6.1 million since the beginning of the year. The perpetrators impersonate officials from Singapore's Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and Chinese authorities, employing tactics designed to instill fear and urgency.

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The scammers would claim that the victims’ details had been misused or that their phone numbers had been linked to criminal activities, such as spreading false rumours or transmission of scam messages.

Victims typically receive unsolicited calls from scammers posing as ICA officers. These callers allege that the victim's personal information has been compromised or linked to illegal activities, such as spreading false rumors or transmitting scam messages. When victims deny involvement, the call is transferred to another scammer who claims to be a Chinese official.

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The purported Chinese official would demand money for "investigation or bail purposes", police said.

This purported official then demands money, ostensibly for "investigation or bail purposes." Victims are instructed to transfer funds to specific bank accounts or withdraw cash and hand it over. The police have issued a stern warning, reminding the public not to share sensitive information like PINs or transfer valuables to unverified individuals. They stress that genuine government officials will never ask for money, loans, banking details, or unverified app installations.

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Do not trust unsolicited communications, even if the caller appears to have your personal information.