Remember when the term “scammed” first emerged, and everyone would warn their parents to avoid clicking pop-ups on phones, ignore message requests on Facebook, and generally avoid anything suspicious?
Fast forward to today, and it’s common to hear about people falling victim to scams.
Even your cousin, who spends hours playing games on his phone, could fall for phishing scams, and your uncle, whom you only see during Chinese New Year, might get scammed through a fake job listing.
According to The Straits Times, Singaporeans reported the highest average losses between August 2022 and August 2023.
Aside from phishing and employment scams, romance scams are also on the rise.
If you’ve watched The Tinder Swindler, you’ll know of this trend.
S’pore Actor Laurence Pang Scammed of $35K By a “Woman” He Knew from a Dating Site
In The Tinder Swindler, Simon Leviev, an online dating scammer, conned several women he was “dating” millions of dollars by posing as a wealthy entrepreneur.
Similarly, veteran actor Laurence Pang fell for a woman he met on PinaLove, a dating platform for foreign men seeking Filipino girlfriends.
Despite her profile claiming she was in her 30s, “Mika” turned out to be a con artist.
Pang, 78, lost nearly $35,000 after “Mika” convinced him to invest in an online business in the Philippines.
He admitted that he was charmed by her and was intrigued as she had shown interest in him.
Therefore, Pang transferred funds as instructed, only to discover that he was reselling products on a fake version of the Japanese e-commerce platform Rakuten.
“Scammed” Into Reselling Products on Fake Online Platform
Reflecting on the experience, Pang lamented, “Being an old man, you know, when a young lady tells you, ‘I like you,’ (you’d believe her). That was stupid.”
Despite initial sales, Pang realised he couldn’t withdraw his earnings due to the system’s design, he then suspected that they were fake customer orders aimed at trapping him financially.
When he tried to remove the products from the site, they reappeared, leading Pang to suspect account hacking.
Recounted His Experience on Raffy Tulfo In Action
Pang shared his experience with Philippine Senator Raffy Tulfo on the popular YouTube programme Raffy Tulfo in Action.
During the 17 January 2025 episode, Pang recounted his ordeal in Manila, in an attempt to confront his scammers.
The public service programme, hosted by the broadcaster-turned-senator, airs on both TV5 and YouTube and is widely followed in the Philippines. The show often features everyday citizens airing grievances on issues ranging from extramarital affairs to labour disputes.
Pang revealed that much later in his interactions with “Mika”, he managed to arrange a video call with her.
He wanted to capture a screenshot of her actual face. It was then that he realised the photos that had initially drawn him to her had been heavily edited.
Authorities believe Pang fell victim to cybercriminals operating a scam hub in the Philippines.
Stay Vigilant Against Scams
Later in the programme, Tulfo invited Lieutenant Wallen Mae Arancillo from the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group to discuss the case. She confirmed that Pang had been targeted by a “romance scam”.
Lieutenant Arancillo explained that the typical strategy for such scams involves building emotional connections with victims, often lonely but affluent individuals, to gain their trust.
The scammers then persuade their targets to invest in cryptocurrency or other online ventures.
She added that Pang had taken proactive steps, including submitting documents on 20 January 2025, to obtain a cyber warrant.
This warrant, if approved, could help trace payment service provider details and potentially reveal “Mika’s” true identity.
Types of Scams in Singapore
According to GovTech, the top five scams in Singapore are phishing, job, e-commerce, investment, and fake friend call scams.
Phishing remains the most common, involving tactics to trick victims into sharing personal information such as login credentials or credit card details. Scammers often impersonate trusted organisations like banks or government agencies to exploit victims’ trust.
Scams can happen to anyone, regardless of age. To prevent such scams from happening to you or your loved ones, protect yourself by enabling security features on your devices, such as downloading the ScamShield app to block and report scams.
If you’re uncertain about a suspicious message or call, you can always contact the ScamShield helpline at 1799.
If you watch at least 10 minutes of brain rot content daily, you must know this:
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