Scammers Now Even Used Fake SPF Warrant Card to Cheat Others; 1 Person Lost $1.7 Million From a Scammer

By
Shawn Ambrose
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Picture this: 

It’s a typical Friday night; you’re talking to your cat about the meaning of life, when you receive a call.

“Hi, this is the High Court of Singapore,” the caller says.

The line is then transferred to a police officer, who tells you that you’re being investigated for money-laundering.

Now, given that your bank account is emptier than Jurong Fishery Port, and that you’re an law-abiding citizen, this can’t be true, right?

So, you hang up the phone and continue talking to your cat.

Unfortunately, some residents stayed on the line.

Scammers Now Even Used Fake SPF Warrant Card to Cheat Others;1 Person Lost $1.7 Million From a Scammer

16 people have fallen prey to this scam, with one victim losing a whopping $1.7 million.

That’s why the Singapore Police Force (SPF) issued an alert yesterday (2 Aug) about the new scam, where swindlers impersonate government officials.

Here’s how the scam goes:

  1. You get an unsolicited robocall purportedly from the Singapore High Court
  2. The call is then transferred to a police officer, who says you’re being investigated for money laundering activities
  3. You will then be asked to shift the conversation to Line or WhatsApp
  4. There, you’ll be shown a fake SPF warrant card and fake letters claiming that you’re under investigation

And now we come to Step 5, which is where your eyebrows and suspicions should both be raised:

5. You’ll be asked to surrender your money for investigation by transferring it to other bank accounts

6. You’re told that the money will be returned once investigations are concluded

But of course, that money will never come.

The poor victims of the scam only realised their error when the scammers asked for even more money and did not return the funds transferred earlier.

What’s a Robocall?

For those who don’t know, a robocall is an automated telephone call which delivers a recorded message.

Robocalls have been on the rise lately, with more and more people working from home.

Scams using robocalls in the past have involved duping the victim into believing that their Internet connection is faulty and needs repairs, or that they have a parcel that has been detained.

Some also impersonate government officials on these robocalls, claiming that victims are the subject of investigations.

SPF: We Will Not Ask You to Transfer Money to Us For Investigations

So, how will you know if such a call is actually coming from a police officer?

Well, for one, the police, or any local government agency, will never ask you to transfer money to other bank accounts for investigation, let alone through automated voice machines.

What’s more, officers will also never identify themselves with an SPF warrant card.

If you do receive an unsolicited robocall, ignore it, and call or approach a real police officer if in doubt.

Never provide personal information like your IC number, bank account details, or passport details over the phone.

Foreign residents who receive calls from purported police officers or government officials from their home country may understandably be alarmed and scared, but they should always verify the caller’s claims with their embassy before doing anything.

If a caller is pressuring you into giving out such information or making a bank transfer immediately – making it seem like an urgent request – ignore their demands and hang up the phone immediately.

At the end of the day, no matter what tricks scammers use, they’ll eventually need to ask you for your personal data, and that’s when alarm bells should go off in your head.

Like the coronavirus, these scammers are constantly evolving. We need to keep up.

You can watch these videos to learn more about scams in Singapore:

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Featured Image: Singapore Police Force

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Shawn Ambrose
Email: [email protected]