Fake Police Officer Calls Man & Asks For Bank Account Details, SPF Warns Of Scammers

Scammers Pretend To Be SPF Officers By Using Public Police Profile Pictures

As the winds of digitalisation take over more parts of our lives, scammers, too, have been coming up with new and innovative tactics to get their hands on our hard-earned money.

Recently, scammers have reportedly been posing as Singapore police officers in order to seize unsuspecting victims’ personal information.

Source

Thankfully, the actual police have caught wind of this problem and have issued an advisory warning Singaporeans of these scammers.

Scammers with foreign country code pretend to be Singapore police

One of the Singaporeans targetted by these scammers is comedian and TikTok star Mayiduo (马一朵).

Perhaps not wanting to let the scammer get away so easily, the clever TikToker decided to record a video of himself trolling the imposter.

In the clip, Mayiduo appeared to have received a WhatsApp call from a number with an Azerbaijan country code (+994).

However, the display picture of the caller showed someone dressed in a Singapore Police Force (SPF) uniform. The caller later introduced himself as an SPF senior investigator named Peter.

The scammer wasted no time and said he had to investigate Mayiduo’s bank account for some undisclosed reasons.

 

In response, Mayiduo trolled the scammer by telling him that he merely had $8 in his account.

Source

Perhaps in disbelief, the scammer audibly stopped to consult somebody else near him.

Moments later, he requested a video call, which Mayiduo accepted. Unfortunately, the screen didn’t seem to show the caller on the other end of the line.

Despite the comedian’s offer to borrow an additional $1 from his mum, the scammer thought better of it and decided to hang up the phone. You can watch the hilarious interaction here.

Source

Singapore police urge residents not to disclose sensitive information

Turns out, others have also received such calls from scammers pretending to be police officers.

On Saturday (25 Sep), the SPF issued an advisory on Facebook addressing the scam.

According to them, the scammers would typically make calls via messaging apps and use public photos of SPF officers as their profile pictures.

They would then inform victims that there’s something wrong with their bank accounts and offer their help to address the issues.

However, they would also request personal information like:

  • Bank account number
  • Credit card details
  • One-Time Password

SPF clarified that these calls are not made by police officers.

Victims who received these calls are advised to ignore the instructions and not to disclose their personal information.

Should there be any fraudulent charges on their credit or debit card, they’re advised to cancel their cards immediately.

Those with information on such calls can contact the police at 1800-255-0000 or submit them online via the link here.

Distasteful & unethical scam

It’s concerning that scammers have evolved their antics to dupe unsuspecting victims.

In this case, it’s even more unethical and distasteful given that the scammers are essentially exploiting Singaporeans’ trust in the SPF for their selfish gains.

If you know anyone who might be prone to falling victim to such scams, tag them in the comments so they know what’s up.

Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.

Featured image adapted from 马 一朵 and Singapore Police Force on Facebook. 

The Must Share News Team

Teamwork makes the dream work.

Recent Posts

Woman seen dangling over parapet of HDB block in Tengah, apprehended & sent to hospital

The 30-year-old woman was apprehended the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) Act.

1 Dec 2024, 10:08 pm

Man brings folding knife to church where priest was previously stabbed, assisting police with investigations

He purportedly forgot to keep the folding knife after an earlier job.

1 Dec 2024, 9:18 pm

Participant dies after finishing Standard Chartered S’pore Marathon, organisers express condolences

This is the third time a participant has died at the Standard Chartered Marathon.

1 Dec 2024, 8:42 pm

Motorcyclist falls over in rain while waiting at Jurong intersection, other riders show up to help

The filming motorcyclist attributed the incident to the rider's use of slippers.

1 Dec 2024, 6:38 pm

Crying child in China made to run alongside moving car that ‘parent’ is driving, netizens upset

The car stopped and started three times before finally letting the child come in.

1 Dec 2024, 5:49 pm

SCDF retrieves deceased person from water at Clarke Quay, police spotted around blue tent

An SCDF paramedic pronounced the person dead at the scene.

1 Dec 2024, 4:50 pm