Following a purchase of durians on an online platform, a woman in Singapore lost more than S$50,000 of her life savings.
The scam left her with just S$7 in her bank account, forcing her to file a police report.
The case is now under investigation by the authorities.
Speaking to Shin Min Daily News, Ms Xu said she had seen a few advertisements for durian stalls on Facebook recently.
Source: Shin Min Daily News
To sate her cravings for the fruit, she contacted one of the stalls last Thursday (4 May), inquiring about the price.
They replied a few hours later, stating that they were currently hosting a promotion selling each Musang King at S$6 per kilogram with D24 going at S$3 per kilogram.
When asked for more details and how to place an order, the stall asked for her phone number, stating they would contact customer service staff and follow up on her queries.
Shortly after, Ms Xu shared that a man called her, requesting that she download an app called “E2 Mall” and input her personal information to register for membership.
As he promised that she would be sent durians, she complied with his demands but kept getting declined when she attempted to make online payment.
Following the instructions of the “customer service” staff, she dutifully went down to the bank on Saturday (6 May) to retrieve a token.
She also entered her bank details into the app.
On Sunday (7 May), Ms Xu accessed her PayNow to purchase food.
To her dismay, however, more than S$50,000 had gone missing from her bank account, with only S$7 left.
“I found out that on Saturday, there were two unauthorised transfers in my account. The first transfer was S$27,549 and the second was S$26,231. These are my life savings,” she said.
She immediately called the police and notified the bank.
Unfortunately, the damage had been done.
Police confirmed they have received a report on the matter and are conducting an investigation.
Hopefully, the victim can get some type of closure regarding the matter.
In the meantime, let this be a story of caution for those who are looking for cheap deals and fast savings online.
If it sounds too good to be true, be sure to exercise caution.
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Featured image adapted from Shin Min Daily News.
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