The public is advised to be wary of “Phone Scams”. These scams are essentially a variety of ruses coined by tricksters over the telephone to trick unwary victims into sending monies to designated local bank account or overseas accounts.
The more common tactics used include kidnap hoax, lucky draw/lottery and impersonation scams.
Kidnap Hoax
Tricksters would claim that the victim’s loved one had been kidnapped and demand that a ransom be transferred to a specific bank account. These fake threats are usually accompanied by sounds of cries for help in the background. If you receive such calls, remain calm and try to contact your loved ones immediately. Should repeated attempts at contacting them fail, seek assistance from the police.
Lucky draw / Lottery Scam
Tricksters usually make calls from overseas, email or SMS victims, informing them that they have won prize money in a foreign lucky draw or lottery. Victims are then asked to provide their personal particulars and a bank account number to facilitate the transfer of the prize money.
Having deceived the victims into believing that they had won the lucky draw/lottery, the tricksters will convince them into making up-front payments, purportedly as tax or other forms of payments to administer the release of the 'prize money'. After duping the victims of their money, the trickster either conjure up more tales to solicit further payments from them, or may abscond altogether.
Please click here for a case study on Lucky draw scams.
If you receive such calls, ignore the notifications of how to collect the prize money. Do not make any advance payments to claim such prize monies.
Impersonation Scam
Tricksters would impersonate law enforcement officials, advising victims to remit or transfer money to designated bank accounts in order to exonerate themselves from alleged crimes. The common allegations include failure to appear in court in relation to one’s involvement in money laundering, or unlicensed money lending cases. Police officers, Court officials, and other government officials do not require any individuals connected to a criminal case to transfer money to any bank accounts.
If any payment is to be made, an official written notice and receipt would be issued.
If you encounter any of the above scams, you should not reveal your personal information and bank account number over the phone. You should also never send money to unknown callers. You should alert the Police immediately.
