1,399 fall victim to job scams
Around S$20 million have been lost to job scams since May 2023, said the Singapore Police Force on 8 June. Scammers usually entice victims by offering them fake job opportunities that involve buying items on online platforms.
The victims receive job offers through Telegram or WhatsApp messages, asking them to take part in simple surveys.
“Victims would be enticed by the rewards offered for the simple tasks and proceed to create accounts on fraudulent websites to earn more commissions,” said the police.
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After they receive their initial payment and commission, they would be tasked to make payments for additional tasks. Victims will also be tasked to give a good rating on certain product listings and submit a screenshot on messaging apps.
Some scammers also send links to victims and ask them to place orders and make payments not through the website’s payment modes. Instead, they would transfer it to the bank accounts of scammers.
Meanwhile, some scammers ask victims to sign in to an account to buy cryptocurrency to stimulate the market.
“Victims would only realise that they had been scammed when they were not unable to recover their subsequent high-value payments for tasks,” stated the police.
The police advised the public to adopt precautionary measures such as downloading the Scam Shield App, as well as activating security features like multi factor authentication for Singpass and bank accounts.
“Do not accept dubious job offers that offer lucrative returns for minimal effort,” said the police.
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