S’pore Police Warn of Emerging Scam Targeting Parcel & Food Delivery Staff Through PayLah! Accounts

By
Shawn Ambrose
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Just like the coronavirus, scammers are evolving every day.

Gone are the days where swindlers would call you from their landline pretending to be a government official.

With their scams getting increasingly sophisticated, the authorities have a tough task on their hands to keep up.

Now, it seems that it isn’t just their modus operandi that scammers are changing, but the people they target too.

S’pore Police Warn of Emerging Scam Targeting Parcel, Food Delivery Staff Through PayLah! Accounts

A new scam targeting delivery personnel from parcel and food delivery companies has emerged, the police said on Tuesday (13 Apr).

If victims fall prey to this scam, they could end up having money transferred out of their bank accounts.

Here’s how the scam works:

The delivery personnel first receives a cash-on-delivery order through their company’s delivery mobile app.

The scammer would then ask for the victim’s phone number, supposedly so he could make payment for the delivery through PayLah!.

PayLah! is a payment app that allows users to perform fund transfers & bill payments via a mobile number. The app is used by both DBS and POSB banks.

Next, the victim would receive a one-time password (OTP) and be prompted to log into their PayLah! accounts and key in the password.

The victim will log in to receive the payment, but would get a notification instead informing them that their PayLah! accounts had been linked to a Google Pay account.

Later, when these delivery personnel reach their destination, they’d discover that there’s no one to receive the delivery.

They would also find unknown transactions on their bank accounts.

What to Do If You’re a Victim

The first thing you should do is confirm a transaction before keying in an OTP.

But if it’s too late and the scammer has already linked your PayLah! account to other accounts without your authorisation, please inform your bank immediately.

Another Emerging Scam – Attractive Job Offers

This isn’t the only emerging scam residents should be wary of.

According to the Singapore Police Force (SPF), scammers have recently been sending out text messages advertising fake jobs with attractive hourly salaries.

Unsuspecting recipients who fall for the scam may later be used as money mules to launder proceeds of criminal conduct, or black money.

In order to avoid falling prey to the scam, residents should:
  • never click on any suspicious URL links provided
  • never accept job offers which requires the use of their personal bank accounts to perform money transfers for others, purchase cryptocurrency on behalf of someone else, or open new bank accounts
  • never send money to strangers or people they’ve never met in person before
  • never share bank account login credentials with anyone

If you suspect you’re a victim of a scam or have information on such swindles, you can call SPF’s hotline at 1800-255-0000, or provide information online here.

Also, watch these anti-scam videos we’ve done with the SPF so you’d not be the next victim of a scam:

Featured Image: Saxarinka / Shutterstock.com

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Shawn Ambrose
Email: [email protected]