The Singapore police are urging vigilance against a malware scam that targeted Android users earlier this month.
Most recently, two victims have lost almost S$100,000 in Central Provident Fund (CPF) savings.
The pair had reached out to businesses advertising groceries and seafood products on social media.
Following which, they were told to download files containing malware.
Upon capturing the users’ credentials, the scammers withdrew the funds from the victims’ bank accounts.
Citing a police release on Saturday (17 Jun), The Straits Times (ST) reported that two Android users had lost S$99,800 of their CPF savings.
The victims had reportedly come across advertisements for groceries and seafood products on social media.
Source: Shin Min Daily News on Facebook
Interested to make a purchase, they then contacted the businesses through social media platforms or WhatsApp.
Subsequently, the admin sent the individuals a URL to download an Android Package Kit (APK) file.
The scammers claim that this would allow them to order groceries and make payments.
According to 8World News, the files contained malware, allowing the scammers to access the victims’ phones remotely and steal their passwords.
In some instances, the scammers may also call the victims and ask for their Singpass passwords, claiming that it was necessary for the application.
Source: Marjan Grabowski on Unsplash for illustration purposes only.
The scammers subsequently directed victims to fake bank websites and instructed them to key in their login credentials.
Once installed in the victims’ phones, the malware then captures the victims’ bank information.
Using the stolen Singpass credentials, scammers logged in to the victims’ CPF accounts remotely before putting in a request to withdraw funds through PayNow.
The scammers then use the stolen bank credentials to access the victims’ bank accounts, transferring the CPF funds out through PayNow.
The police also reminded members of the public to be careful when downloading apps from third-party or suspicious websites.
It’s also advisable for users to update their devices to the latest security patches, and to immediately report any fraudulent transaction to their respective banks.
Members of the public can report scams to the police via 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness.
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Featured image adapted from dole777 on Unsplash and Shin Min Daily News on Facebook.
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