In a media release on Sunday (1 Nov), the Singapore Police Force (SPF) announced it would launch a single caller identification (ID) for outgoing calls from 2 Nov onwards.
This officially makes SPF the first Singaporean government agency to do so.
The initiative is part of a broader government effort to help members of the public identify legitimate government communications and prevent impersonation scams.
It was developed jointly by SPF, Open Government Products (OGP), the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA).
SPF is Singapore’s most frequently impersonated government agency.
Between Jan and Sept, at least 1,310 cases involving impersonation of police officers were reported, generating losses worth at least S$53.3 million.
The new launch of the single caller ID aims to address the rampant scams. This accompanies other existing anti-scam measures, including the standardised “gov.sg” SMS Sender ID and the 24/7 ScamShield Helpline (1799).
Previously, outgoing calls from government agencies would come from the office landlines and mobile numbers of various officials. The use of multiple numbers made it difficult for the public to distinguish genuine calls from potential scams.
Under the initiative, all SPF outgoing calls to the public will display the single caller ID “6000 0999”.
The caller ID will also be strictly reserved for outgoing phone calls. It will also not be used to contact the public via messaging platforms such as WhatsApp or Telegram.
Source: SPF
SPF added that after each call, an SMS will be sent from the official “gov.sg” SMS sender ID. The message will also contain information on how to contact the SPF for further assistance.
Alternatively, the general public can also contact SPF via the SPF Feedback Portal, or the SPF Feedback Hotline at 1800-358-0000.
The Singapore Government also plans to introduce measures to help the public identify and verify outgoing calls from government agencies.
“This launch with the SPF will help us test the solution in practice and inform how similar approaches could be applied more broadly in future,” said Mr Tay Paul Hong, Lead Product Manager at OGP.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Police (DAC) Rudy Dzulkarnaen, Deputy Director of the Service Delivery Department, stated that the new measures should not lead to complacency.
Despite all these initiatives, we encourage members of the public to remain vigilant when receiving unexpected calls claiming to be from the government, such as Police.
Source: Ang Yi Fei via SPF
SPF continues to caution members of the public to remain vigilant against scam calls.
Citing personal details, such as the recipient’s name or NRIC number, does not verify a caller’s identity as a government official.
It is best to err on the side of caution and verify the caller’s identity directly through official government channels.
SPF also issued an advisory highlighting requests that government officials will never make via phone calls.
This includes requests to transfer money or valuables, reveal banking credentials, download apps from unofficial stores, or redirect calls to the police.
For scam-related information, the public can also visit ScamShield or call the 24/7 helpline at 1799.
Also read: SPF issues advisory on impersonation scams, social media users encouraged to stay vigilant
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Featured image adapted from Ang Mo Kio Thye Hua Kwan Hospital & SPF on Facebook.