New phone scam: They’ll call you to download an app and then…

It seems like scammers are changing their modus operandi so fast that the police have to issue advisories more often nowadays.

People might now know about the scams involving cheaters impersonating as DHL representatives or the police, but this latest one that didn’t involve any bank transfer initially might just skip your radar.

On 22 June 2016, the Singapore Police Force issued a new advisory, this time involving calls from people who impersonate as courier companies and/or Government officials. Instead of requesting for a bank transfer or personal details, they will request you to download an app instead.

If you can’t see the text, here’s what they’ve advised:

POLICE ADVISORY ON NEW MODUS OPERANDI USED BY PHONE IMPERSONATORS ‪#‎scamalertsg ‪#‎spreadtheword

The Police have been informed by members of public who had received phone calls purportedly from courier companies and/or government officials, instructing them to download certain applications onto their mobile phones.

These applications when downloaded may introduce malware into their mobile phones that may allow scammers to gain access to any incoming messages which could lead to the theft of banking credentials and other personal information.

Public are advised to be wary when receiving calls from unknown origins and to do the following:

• Ignore such calls;
• Do not follow the caller’s instructions to install any applications onto your phone;
• Never give out personal information and bank details, whether on the website or to callers over the phone. No government agency will inform you to make a payment through a telephone call or ask you to provide information such as your bank username, password or OTP codes; and
• Call the Police hotline at 1800-255 0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness should you have information related to such crime. Dial ‘999’ if urgent Police assistance is required.

DON’T be scammed! Share this advisory with your loved ones and friends.

The trickiest part about this scam is that as it does not involve any immediate monetary transfer, it sounds innocuous so people might be inclined to just download the app, unaware of the consequences.

One of the deadliest hacks in the digital world is Remote Access Trojan: known as RAT, the hacker would have the ability to see real-time of your phone, and in some cases, even switch on your camera to look right into your eyes as you type a message.

While you might think that “no one would care about me”, think again. With our overreliance on our phone, it’s common for us to store banking details in it (even if you don’t remember doing so). In addition, hackers can also “lock” your phone, or even control it, and demand a ransom to unlock it.

So, don’t think that it won’t happen to you. Keep yourself safe, and if possible, download an anti-virus and anti-malware program to your phone, and remember to keep it updated.

Top Image: Andrey_Popov / Shutterstock.com

This article was first published on goodyfeed.com