You might think that in this generation where practically everyone is so tech-savvy and cynical about the things we see online, there wouldn’t be any cases of scam occurring. Unfortunately, that is not true, and the Singapore Police Force (SPF) has just released a report justifying this. According to the SPF, more than $987,000 has been lost to scammers through iTunes and Google Play gift cards since January 2019.
How Did The Scam Occur?
How does one actually scam another? Are these scams really that believable?
Well, according to the 90 cases that were reported by the victims, it was an impersonation scam where the victims responded to e-mails supposedly from their coworkers or employers asking them to buy iTunes and Google Play gift cards for work-related purposes such as gifts for clients or staff.
The victims then sent the redemption codes to the scammers who control the hacked or spoofed email accounts and voila. Scammed.
Police said, “Scammers may also closely mimic e-mails by using the same business logos, links to the company’s website, or messaging format.” They also added that companies should do more to raise the awareness of such scams amongst employees, especially for those who have to handle making purchases.
So How Should You Avoid Getting Scammed?
We’re not telling you to doubt every email sent by your boss about making work-related purchases, but rather, exercise precaution whenever you receive such e-mails. You can always check back with them about the instructions to purchase such items.
You should also have anti-virus and anti-spyware software on your computer, and make sure that they are updated frequently.
According to the police, in order to prevent your e-mail account from being hacked, always use strong passwords and change them regularly.
If you happen to have any information about these kinds of scams, you may report it to the police by calling them at 1800 255 0000 or by sending the information online here.
For more information about how to avoid getting scammed, you may contact the anti-scam helpline at 1800 722 6688 or visit here.
Hopefully, we can work towards a Singapore where we will no longer fall for these devious scammers‘ tricks.
Here’s a simplified summary of the South Korea martial law that even a 5-year-old would understand:
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