SPF Warns of Kidnap Scam Making a Comeback; Netizens Have a Field Day With the Scammer’s Message

Imagine you’re in a restaurant, celebrating your friend’s 18th birthday when you received an SMS from your mother, asking, “Are you okay?”

Being the rebellious you, you ignore the message and a few hours later, you see ten missed calls from your mother.

You’re afraid that she’ll order you home, so you continued singing Happy Birthday with your friends.

Unbeknownst to you, your family might become $10,000 poorer because of your inaction, as the kidnap scam is now making a comeback.

Kidnap Scam Making a Comeback

By now, you should know that scammers no longer walk around with snake oil; they now live within our phones.

It got so bad that we’ve done a few anti-scam videos in collaboration with SPF:

Yesterday, the SPF posted a Facebook post, warning the public that the kidnap scam is making a comeback.

Here’s what they’ve written:

[[[SCAM ALERT]]]

POLICE ADVISORY ON SMSES CLAIMING KIDNAP OF LOVED ONES

The Police have received numerous reports from members of the public informing that they have received SMSes (Short Message Service) claiming that their loved ones had been kidnapped. The SMSes also asked for money as ransom to ensure the safety of their loved ones. The Police would like to warn the public that this is a scam.

Members of the public are advised to adopt the following measures should the receive such SMSes:

1. Don’t panic – Remain calm and do not reply to the SMS. Block and report the number as spam.
2. Don’t believe – Contact your loved one immediately to confirm their safety.
3. Don’t give – do not transfer any money as instructed by the SMSes.

If you wish to provide any information relating to such cases, please call the Police hotline at 1800-255-0000, or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness. Please dial ‘999’ if you require urgent Police assistance.

To seek scam-related advice, members of the public may call the anti-scam helpline at 1800-722-6688 or go to www.scamalert.sg. Please share this advisory with your family and friends to prevent them from being the next scam victim.

#sgscamalert #sgpoliceadvisory

Just like any scam, the best way to counter these scams is to remember the three key phrases that Li Nanxing SPF has often mentioned: Don’t Panic, Don’t Believe, Don’t Give.

Netizens Having a Field Day With the Message

While this is a rather serious advisory, netizens took the chance to Goody-Feed it (i.e. turn a dry message into something entertaining):

Well, at least these comments would push the post to the top of people’s Facebook newsfeed, since Facebook has now tweaked its algorithm to give more reach for posts with many comments.