Types of scams

🎭 Human Weaknesses Most Commonly Exploited by Scammers

Scams happen not because victims are foolish, but because scammers are highly skilled at manipulating human psychology.
They exploit people’s desire for money, love, family, as well as emotions such as fear, greed, sympathy, and trust to weaken judgment and gradually lure victims into their scams.

Common Psychological Triggers

😨 Fear of Loss (frozen bank accounts, stolen funds)
😱 Fear of Legal Trouble (money laundering or criminal investigations)
💰 Desire for High Returns (guaranteed profits, high-yield investments)
❤️ Desire for Love and Companionship (online romance and dating scams)
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Concern for Family Members (family emergencies or urgent medical needs)
🎁 Love of Bargains (unbelievably cheap products or limited-time offers)
🤝 Trust in Others (impersonated relatives or friends asking for money)

❤️ Category 1: Romance & Relationship Scams

Scammers exploit people’s desire for love, companionship, marriage, or friendship. They gradually build trust before finding excuses to steal money, personal information, or lure victims into fake investments.
Unlike many other scams, romance scams usually do not ask for money immediately. Instead, scammers spend days, weeks, or even months building an emotional relationship before asking for financial help. This is commonly known as a “Pig Butchering Scam.”

💻 1. Online Romance Scams

🎭 Common Platforms

Tinder, Tantan, Bumble, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Telegram, WhatsApp

📱 Common Tactics

❤️ Stage 1 – Build Trust
Scammers use stolen photos of attractive people and pretend to be successful professionals, military personnel, doctors, or business owners. They chat with victims daily and quickly develop an emotional relationship.

💰 Stage 2 – Request Money
After gaining trust, they ask for money or encourage investments by claiming they need funds for medical bills, visas, air tickets, family emergencies, customs fees, or investment opportunities.

💸 Stage 3 – Disappear
Once the victim can no longer send money or begins to suspect the scam, the scammer disappears, blocks all contact, and often creates a new identity to target another victim.

🛡️ How to Protect Yourself

✅ Verify the person’s identity through video calls and reverse image searches.
✅ Discuss any financial requests with family members or trusted friends.
❌ Never send money to someone you have never met in person.
❌ Never trust anyone promising “guaranteed profits” or “risk-free investments.”

📂 Case

July 9, 2026 70-year-old woman loses RM183,100 in love scam after befriending a ‘doctor’ online. Source
June 23, 2026 Foreign Nationals in Love Scam Syndicate Arrested in Surabaya. Source
June 04, 2026 S’pore woman, 60, loses S$5,000 to ‘Australian resident’ who called her his wife, reassured her of looks & age. Source
Mar 30, 2026 Jail for man who worked with wife to deal with love scam proceeds totalling more than $1 million. Source
Mar 03, 2025 Love scam victim with special needs waited in vain at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal for ‘girlfriend’. Source
Jan 21, 2025 Singapore actor Laurence Pang loses $35k to scam after meeting woman on Filipino dating site. Source
18 Dec 2024 7-year love scam costs Malaysian woman nearly US$500,000. Source
Nov 16, 2024, Sibu woman loses RM86,841 in love scam after meeting ‘oppa’ on Tinder. Source
Nov 11, 2024 A Singaporean woman on a solo trip to Taiwan came close to losing NT$30,000 to a love scammer she first befriended on a dating app. Source
May 23, 2022 Victims of credit-for-sex scams lose at least $402,000 since January 2022. Source
10 March 2021 Woman siphoned $1.3m from 2 firms to claim parcel from scammer. Source
May 08, 2020 Singapore police bait credit-for-sex scammer to expose their scare tactics. Source
Sep 05, 2019 Woman nearly loses US$5,000 in online love scam. Source

💍 2. Offline Romance Scams

📱 Common Tactics

Scammers approach victims in person, quickly build a romantic relationship, promise marriage, and then ask for money by claiming they need funds for loans, wedding expenses, visas, immigration, or family emergencies. Some may also ask to borrow your bank card, bank account, or other financial services.

🛡️ How to Protect Yourself

✅ Before making any major financial decision, discuss it with your family or trusted friends and verify the person’s background.
✅ Stay alert and do not let emotions or love cloud your judgment.
❌ Never lend large sums of money or disclose your bank account details, passwords, OTPs, or other financial information.

📂 Case

Indonesian sex scam: Batam scammer Rasmi Sinaga and accomplices. Source
Indonesian Dating Scams: Things to Know and Protection. Source
2026 08 14 The female boss keeps a 27-year-old male model by 30,000 per month. Source
May 30, 2023 Man claims masseuse at Ang Mo Kio massage parlour made him gift her non-stop. Source
Sept 18, 2020 Couple Arrested for Mutilating Man in Jakarta. Source
Feb 10, 2015 Woman admits to cheating 70-year-old man. Source

🚨 Remember This

Someone who truly loves you will not keep asking you for money.

If every relationship revolves around sending money, it’s probably not love—it’s a scam.

🎭 Category 2: Impersonation Scams

Government impersonation scams involve criminals pretending to be government agencies, banks, customer service representatives, celebrities, or even family and friends. They exploit authority, trust, or urgency to trick victims into transferring money, revealing personal information, or downloading malicious apps.

🏛️ 1. Government Official & Agency Impersonation

🎭 Common Impersonated Targets

Police, law enforcement officers, criminal investigators, tax authorities, immigration authorities, financial regulators, ministries of health, land transport authorities (LTA), courts, prosecutors, and other government agencies.

📱 Common Tactics

Scammers pretend to be government officials by phone, text message, or in person. They falsely claim that you are involved in a crime, that your bank account has been frozen, or that you are under investigation. They then instruct you to transfer money to a “safe account”, provide your OTP, bank card or bank account details, download a specific app, or pay a fine or security deposit.

🛡️ How to Protect Yourself

✅ Hang up and call the official hotline to verify the claim.
✅ Government agencies will never ask you to transfer money to a “safe account.”
❌ Never share your OTP, bank card details, bank account information, or passwords with anyone.

📂 Case

Jun 10, 2026 ICA warns of scammers impersonating its officers or family members, friends. Source
Apr 26, 2026 At least $8.5 million lost since February to scammers posing as Law Ministry officials. Source
Feb 5, 2026 Online scammers pose as Malaysian police to promote money recovery service. Source
Jan 21, 2026 4 Malaysians to be charged over suspected involvement in government impersonation scam. Source
Mar 19, 2025 Woman loses $1.2m to scammers who pretended to be officers from police’s Anti-Scam Centre. Source
Jan 09, 2025 Be wary of scammers posing as Singapore govt officials, say police. Source
Jan 05, 2025 S’pore police warns of phone scammers impersonating MDDI government officials. Source
Dec 29, 2024 How a retiree lost $200k to scammers who posed as cops. Source
Nov 30, 2024 When told by a “police officer” that she might be implicated in money laundering, a woman feared she would be dragged into the $3 billion case. Source
Jan 05, 2024 At least 83 victims have lost $155,000 in DBS phishing scam since the start of January 2024. Source
Dec 28, 2023 $2.6 million lost to scammers posing as MAS officers since start of 2023. Source
18 Dec 2023 After receiving a text message about possible fraud seemingly from her bank, HSBC, she promptly responded.. Source
Nov 18, 2022 Victims lose over $133k in scam linked to unpaid LTA fines, more than 100 police reports filed. Source
15 July 2022 Advisory on Phone Scam Involving Court-Directed Process. Source
30 Jan 2022 OCBC says S$13.7 million lost in phishing scams, up from S$8.5 million. Source
Jun 16, 2021 Scammers targeting people in S’pore weave Covid-19 vaccines, MOH into their false narratives. Source
17 Apr 2020 The Ministry of Defence (Mindef) has warned the public about the presence of fake recruitment messages related to its hiring of former Singapore Armed Forces. Source
January 15, 2020 S’pore widow, 60, allegedly loses almost S$55,000 to phone scammer impersonating DBS staff. Source
28 June 2019 Public warned of scammer spoofing call from ICA Call Centre number. Source

⭐ 2. Celebrity & Public Figure Impersonation

🎭 Common Targets

Celebrities, influencers, entrepreneurs, members of parliament, presidents, prime ministers, government officials, and other public figures.

📱 Common Tactics

Scammers impersonate celebrities or public figures on social media, or organize fake giveaways, investment schemes, charity fundraisers, paid fan clubs, fan meet-and-greets, or autograph sessions to trick victims into sending money or revealing personal information.

🛡️ How to Protect Yourself

✅ Verify official accounts with verified badges and official websites.
✅ Be cautious of private messages claiming you’ve won a prize, promoting investment opportunities, or requesting donations.
✅ Always verify important events through official channels before making any payment.

📂 Case

18 Jun 2026 AI makes Datukships easier to fake. Source
15 Jul 2026 Beware of cloaked, fake news site posing as The Star. Source
11 Jun 2026 Beware scam investment site impersonating The Star. Source
June 19, 2026 Steven Chia debunks fake article showing DBS CEO hitting him after on-air argument. Source
May 15, 2026 Scammers told victim to attend Zoom call with PM Wong & asked for ‘urgent funding’ for Strait of Hormuz. Source
Apr 06, 2026 AI-generated ad of celeb couple Fann Wong and Christopher Lee sparks complaint from agency. Source
Mar 28, 2026 Elon Musk ‘needed’ her to save his business, S’pore woman who lost $600k to scammers told daughters. Source
07 Mar 2025 Pahang palace warns of fake Tengku Afzan TikTok account offering ‘Ramadan aid’. Source
Aug 27, 2020 Woman exposes catfish claiming to be Singapore actor Desmond Tan. Source

👥 3. Customer Service, Family & Friend, and Other Impersonation Scams

🎭 Common Targets

🛒 E-commerce Platforms: Shopee, Lazada, TikTok Shop, and others.
🏦 Financial Institutions: Banks, payment platforms, insurance companies, credit card services, and online banking support.
📞 Telecommunication Companies: Singtel, StarHub, M1, SIMBA, and others.
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family & Friends: Compromised WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, or WeChat accounts.

📱 Common Tactics

Scammers impersonate family members, customer service representatives, e-commerce platforms, courier companies, or other individuals. They may claim they urgently need money, that an order has a problem, a membership renewal is due, an insurance payment has failed, or a package is being held. Victims are then persuaded to download apps, enable screen sharing, provide OTPs, bank card or bank account details, or transfer money. Some scammers also approach victims in person by pretending to be in distress, posing as delivery personnel, or asking for cash assistance.

🛡️ How to Protect Yourself

✅ Verify any request for money or account-related issue by calling the person’s original phone number or the official customer service hotline.
✅ Use only official websites or official mobile apps for transactions.
❌ Never download unknown apps, enable screen sharing, or share your OTP, bank card details, bank account information, or other personal data.

📂 Case

10 Aug 2026 Recognising And Avoiding Impersonation Scams. Source
7 August 2026 Beware of Lucky Draw Scams Impersonating Influencers and Maybank Staff. Source
Jun 10, 2026 ICA warns of scammers impersonating its officers or family members, friends. Source
25 Apr 2026 Hooked by a fake telco call: Malaysian man nabbed as Singapore flags rise in cross-border scam runners. Source
Mar 11, 2025 Over the past four years, more than 600 people have been duped by job scam syndicates. Source
March 03, 2025 S’pore woman, 37, gets scam call posing as NTUC & MAS staff, loses over S$1.14 million in 4 hours. Source
Jan 11, 2025 Woman loses $67k after believing scammer’s lie that she wrongly bought WeChat ‘anti-scam insurance’. Source
Nov 25, 2024 At least 59 victims have lost $1.4m since January 2024 to tech support scam. Source
Nov 13, 2024 S’porean retiree loses life savings in scam by fake Facebook friend. Source
22 May 2023 More than S$750,000 lost to scammers pretending to be Shopee employees. Source
April 12, 2023 AI clones teen girl’s voice in $1M kidnapping scam: ‘I’ve got your daughter’. Source
Apr 07, 2022 Phone call from man posing as DHL worker led company’s MD to start anti-scam campaign. Source
07 Jan 2021 How a senior IT exec fell for a ‘technical support’ scam and nearly lost S$180,000. Source
Jan 11, 2021 How to Avoid Orphanage Scams When Volunteering Abroad. Source
Oct 8, 2019 Singaporean makes police report claiming old man “hypnotised” him into giving him all the money in his wallet. Source
08 Jul 2016 SP Services is latest to warn of phone scam. Source

🚨 Remember This

Scammers can pretend to be anyone, but they can never change the facts.

If something seems suspicious, pause first, verify through official channels, and only then take action.

💰 Category 3: Investment Scams

Investment scams exploit people’s desire for high returns, quick profits, and the fear of missing out (FOMO). Scammers use fake investment platforms, fake investment experts, and fabricated profit records to persuade victims to invest their money.
They often promise “guaranteed profits,” “risk-free returns,” “insider information,” “expert trading signals,” or “limited-time investment opportunities,” while encouraging victims to download fake investment apps, visit fraudulent websites, or keep investing more money.

📈 1. Fake Investment Scams

📊 Common Investment Products

🪙 Cryptocurrency
💱 Forex
📈 Stocks
🥇 Gold
🏘️ Real Estate
🏞️ Land Development
📊 Contracts for Difference (CFDs)
💼 Private Equity Funds and other high-return investments

📱 Common Tactics

Scammers create fake investment websites or apps and impersonate investment coaches, financial analysts, or brokerage representatives. They use fake celebrity endorsements, so-called insider tips, fabricated profit screenshots, and may even allow small withdrawals at first to gain the victim’s trust. They then persuade victims to invest larger amounts and claim that additional deposits or top-ups are required before any funds can be withdrawn.

🛡️ How to Protect Yourself

✅ Invest only through platforms regulated by your local financial authority and holding valid licenses.
✅ Always verify the investment independently and consult a licensed financial adviser before investing.
❌ Never believe promises of “guaranteed profits,” “risk-free investments,” or “insider information,” and don’t rush into investing because of the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO).

📂 Case

Jul 01, 2026 Sarawak retiree loses RM914,000 to fake AI investment scam promising quick returns. Source
June 30, 2026 S’pore property agent behind S$16 million investment losses: Victims outraged, 15 flew to the Philippines to find developer. Source
Jun 04, 2026 At least $3.6 million lost to investment scams involving chat groups since May. Source
April 30, 2026 M’sian woman, 21, becomes 20th M’sian arrested in S’pore in 2 months for facilitating scam syndicates to collect cash, gold & valuables. Source
27 Apr 2026 Man loses over RM257k in online investment scam in Miri. Source
Feb 01, 2026 Lured by a deepfake video, retiree lost over $4,000 in an investment scheme. Source
Jan 30, 2026 Experienced investor loses $400k after downloading fake investment app from Apple Store. Source
23 Jan 2026 Man, 32, to be charged over alleged role in 24 rental scam cases with S$55,000 in losses. Source
Jan 1, 2026 Two women lose RM1.15 million to online and phone scams. Source
Mr 5 2025 Medical Officer Loses Over RM86,000 To Cryptocurrency Scam. Source
2025-02-25 90-Year-Old Woman Loses $500,000 to ‘Friends’ Who Claimed Cryptocurrency Investment Failures. Source
Feb 20, 2025 By making amendments on Microsoft Excel files used for payrolls, a woman working at a fintech company committed cheating linked to more than $5.7 million. Source
Jan 22, 2025 Elderly e-hailing driver loses nearly RM150,000 to fake investment scam. Source
2025 100 Singaporeans in legal dispute over condo purchases in JB. Source
Dec 20, 2024 Real estate agent loses RM85,000 in fake Pattaya hotel investment. Source
29 Nov 2024 Johor man loses RM444,000 in fake stock scheme, while elderly New Zealander falls victim to bogus investment plan. Source
Aug 21, 2024 400 suffer losses of more than RM100mil in forex investment scheme. Source
11 Dec 2023 Police warn of rental scams involving fake property agents. Source
May 4, 2023 A MAN was charged in court over an alleged hydroponics and aquaponics farming investment scam. Source
May 24, 2023 Boss cheated out of 4.3 million yuan by AI face-changing fraud. Source
06 May 2017 Be Aware of Illegal Investment Offers & Online Scams in Indonesia. Source

🔺 2. Ponzi & Pyramid Schemes

🔺 Common Types

Ponzi Scheme
Pyramid Scheme
Illegal Multi-Level Marketing (MLM)
Fake Membership Investment Programs

📱 Common Tactics

Scammers create so-called investment clubs or membership programs, promising fixed returns and high profits. They display fake success stories and offer generous commissions or referral rewards for recruiting family members and friends. The scheme depends on continuously recruiting new members to generate more money.

🛡️ How to Protect Yourself

✅ Stay away from any investment program that requires recruiting new members to earn profits, and always verify that the company is legally registered.
✅ Report any suspected illegal fundraising or investment fraud to the relevant authorities immediately.
❌ Do not join simply because family or friends recommend it, and never believe promises of “easy money,” “high commissions,” or “guaranteed fixed returns.”

📂 Case

Jul 28, 2026 More than 10 years’ jail for woman who ran Ponzi scheme; cheated victims of over $6m. Source
Apr 11, 2025 Billion-dollar nickel scam: Ng Yu Zhi spent $7m on luxury cars he gave to wife, girlfriends. Source
May 16, 2023 Indians lose billions of rupees as they fall prey to online Ponzi scams. Source
Sep 12, 2022 Jail for 2 ex-directors who pocketed over $1.2m in their firm’s gold investment Ponzi scheme. Source
May 21, 2017 About 400,000 people fell for JJPTR investment scheme. Source

🚨 Remember This

High returns usually come with high risks.

Any investment that guarantees high returns, low risk, or risk-free profits is almost certainly a scam.

🛒 Category 4: Online Shopping & Delivery Scams

Online shopping and delivery scams exploit people’s desire for bargains, quick transactions, concerns about delivery issues, or the urgency to complete a purchase. Victims are tricked into making payments, providing banking information, or clicking phishing links.
Scammers may impersonate sellers, buyers, courier companies, or delivery personnel. They may also forge payment records or delivery information to make the transaction appear genuine.

🛍️ 1. Fake Seller Scams

🛍️ Common Items

📱 Smartphones, computers, and other electronic devices
⌚ Luxury watches
👜 Designer handbags
👟 Sneakers
🎫 Popular concert tickets and other high-value items

📱 Common Tactics

Scammers create fake shopping websites or advertise extremely low prices, limited-time offers, or “only a few left” deals on social media and second-hand marketplaces. They trick victims into paying via bank transfer, PayNow, or fraudulent payment links.
They may also sell fake concert tickets, counterfeit e-tickets, forged purchase confirmations, or even sell the same ticket to multiple buyers. Some arrange face-to-face transactions, deliver counterfeit or damaged goods, or disappear after receiving payment.

🛡️ How to Protect Yourself

✅ Shop only on reputable shopping or official ticketing platforms, and choose payment methods that offer Buyer Protection.
✅ Check the seller’s ratings, transaction history, and verify the authenticity of the item or ticket.
✅ When purchasing concert tickets, use the official ticket transfer feature whenever available, and ensure the ticket has not already been used.
❌ Do not rush to make payment because of unusually low prices, limited quantities, or “last chance” offers.
❌ Never transfer money directly to unknown sellers or rely solely on screenshots or verbal promises.

📂 Case

Aug 05, 2026 Scam tracker: Trends in Singapore and how much money has been lost in 2026. Source
Mar 29, 2025 Victims lose S$156,000 to online scams on fake EZ-Link, SimplyGo promotions. Source
Mar. 12, 2025 Woman buys iPhone 16 Pro Max from stranger in Paya Lebar for S$600. Source
Mar 11, 2025 A 57-year-old woman wanting to buy fruits online ended up losing S$461,116 in just three days. Source
Jan 26, 2025 Shopee customers lost $399,000 in 2024 after making payments outside app to scammers. Source
Jan 11, 2025 At least 82 cases of malware scams reported since December, with $625,000 in losses. Source
Nov 21, 2024 Facebook Marketplace, Carousell bottom in e-commerce safety ratings; Amazon, Lazada on top. Source
28 Dec 2023 Rimowa suitcase for S$4 on ‘iShopChangi Singapore’? Don’t fall for the scam, say police. Source
27 Dec 2023 Singaporean family desperate after egg scam wipes out S$150,000 in life savings. Source
19 Dec 2023 S$314,000 lost to Carousell, Facebook fake buyer phishing scams in December 2019. Source
Dec 18, 2023 I no longer dare to order food via Facebook, says pregnant woman who fell for tingkat delivery scam twice. Source
Dec 13, 2023 Couple loses $45k to scam while trying to sell second-hand sofa online. Source
Jul 7, 2023 More than 460 people fell for fake concert ticket scams since January. Source
Jul 05, 2023 Woman lists Louis Vuitton bag for sale on Carousell, ends up losing $10,000 to scammer. Source
Jun 12, 2023 Woman says she lost $67k after car salesman goes missing. Source
Jun 09, 2023 Gone in 20 minutes: Woman loses $30k after installing fake shopping app on phone. Source
Jun 09, 2023 S’pore housewife orders S$2 dim sum deals on Instagram, finds bank credit limit raised to S$200,000. Source
October 19, 2021 S’pore man, 25, to be charged for allegedly scamming $400,000 from 500 victims on Carousell. Source
24 Sep 2020 Man cheated victims over masks and other items during COVID-19 outbreak. Source
2018 Online shopping scam victim Eddy Tay shares his story. Source

🛒 2. Fake Buyer Scam

📱 Common Tactics

Scammers pretend to be buyers and send fake payment screenshots, fake bank transfer notifications, or fake shipping links. They may trick sellers into paying insurance or verification fees, or ask for bank account details. During face-to-face transactions, they may use counterfeit cash, fake transfer confirmations, swap the goods, or ask sellers to make payments to a third party first.

🛡️ How to Protect Yourself

✅ Always rely on your bank’s actual transaction records and ship the item only after the payment has been credited to your account.
❌ Do not trust payment screenshots, transfer notifications, or messages claiming that payment has already been made.

📂 Case

July 13, 2026 S’pore man sells watch online & falls for phishing scam, his mum, 64, loses S$4,600, retains S$0.12 bank balance. Source
Apr 10, 2026 Woman who tried selling $15 keychain on Carousell loses $1k after falling for phishing scam. Source
Feb 27, 2025 Taiwanese man arrested for alleged credit card fraud. Source
Jan 10, 2025 Man arrested after cheating Tampines cashiers by pretending they had given him wrong change. Source
Feb 01, 2024 Fake S$10,000 notes used at S’pore casino to exchange for chips, syndicate busted in Indonesia. Source
15 Dec 2023 Beware of parcel delivery phishing scams this festive shopping season, say police. Source
Dec 10, 2023 Asked to pay extra delivery fees to ship your parcel? It could be a scam. Source
May 18, 2023 Salon One beauty chain warned for making false claims, using pressure sales tactics. Source
28 Jul 2022 Timeline of Tradenation luxury goods scam: Couple charged with more offences. Source
20 Jul 2022 Police warn against restaurant reservation scams after F&B operators lose S$73,500. Source
Aug 13, 2020 S’pore woman files police report after mistakenly paying S$40 cash for a COD package via Ninja Van. Source
Jail for man over fake insurance claims that duped company into paying out more than $1.88m. Source
Woman jailed for cheating 89 victims of S$1.8 million in renovation scam. Source
Woman accused of using fake S$79.60 PayNow screenshot at Clarke Quay bubble tea shop. Source
Women ask Singaporean couple to buy them a meal after ‘losing money’ at Genting. Source
Begging an ‘easy way out’ for some S’poreans. Source
Scam targets delivery personnel from parcel and food delivery companies in S’pore. Source

🚚 3. Fake Delivery & Courier Scams

📱 Common Tactics

Scammers impersonate courier companies or delivery personnel, claiming that a parcel delivery has failed, the delivery address is incorrect, or additional shipping fees, customs duties, or service charges are required. Victims are tricked into clicking phishing links, providing bank card details or OTPs, or making payments. Some scammers also deliver empty parcels, counterfeit goods, or use fake receipts to obtain cash.

🛡️ How to Protect Yourself

✅ Track your parcels only through the courier company’s official website or official app, and verify the identity of the delivery personnel.
✅ If payment is required, use only the courier company’s official payment channels.
❌ Do not click links in unsolicited text messages, emails, or social media messages, and never pay cash to unfamiliar delivery personnel.

📂 Case

June 27, 2026 Shopee deliveryman allegedly fakes wrong delivery to neighbour’s unit, takes photo for ‘proof’, then leaves with parcel. Source
Mar 27, 2026 WhatsApp message from SingPost about failed parcel delivery could be a scam: Police. Source

🚨 Remember This

In a legitimate transaction, both your money and the goods should be protected.

If the price is unrealistically low, or someone keeps pressuring you to pay without proving the transaction is genuine, it is most likely a scam.

🎣 Category 5: Phishing & Identity Theft

These scams usually do not steal your money directly. Instead, they first steal your account credentials, passwords, OTPs, or personal information, then use them to access your accounts, steal your money, or impersonate you to scam others.

📧 1. SMS, Email & Social Media Phishing

📱 Common Tactics

Scammers impersonate banks, government agencies, courier companies, e-commerce platforms, or well-known businesses through SMS messages, emails, or social media messages. They may claim that your account has a problem, your parcel cannot be delivered, your bill is overdue, or your identity needs to be verified. Victims are then tricked into clicking phishing links and revealing their usernames, passwords, OTPs, bank card details, or personal information.

🛡️ How to Protect Yourself

✅ Verify any request through the official website, official app, or official hotline, and never click suspicious links.
✅ Check whether the sender, website, or account is from an official source.
❌ Do not download unknown attachments or enter your usernames, passwords, OTPs, bank card details, or personal information.

📂 Case

Aug 08, 2026 Be on alert for iMessages from scammers posing as the police or Singapore courts. Source
Aug 05, 2026 More than $1.2m lost to scams involving courier firms and Apple’s iMessage. Source
Aug 05, 2026 Scam tracker: Trends in Singapore and how much money has been lost in 2026. Source
Feb 10, 2026 Singapore travellers to Malaysia lose $24k to scam texts impersonating LTA. Source
Jan 14 2025 Retiree Loses More Than RM145,000 To Job Scam. Source
Dec 9, 2024 Meta warns against holiday shopping scams. Source
Nov 22, 2024 Over 100 Android users lost $445k since March in phishing scams. Source
Nov 22, 2024 FairPrice says birthday giveaways celebrating 50th anniversary are scams. Source
Nov 22, 2024 Shopping survey on WhatsApp that offers $13 payment is a new scam, warns Case. Source
Nov 22, 2024 SGH warns of WhatsApp messages impersonating senior management in ‘gift card purchase’ scam. Source
Nov 07, 2024 Over $12,000 lost to scammers claiming to be from SP Group. Source
Dec 21, 2023 10 victims lose at least $9,000 to phishing scam involving supposed tax refunds. Source
15 Aug 2023 Police warn of new loan scam variant involving malicious Android app. Source
12 Jun 2023 Drink with Lionel Messi for RM193,946: Chinese police warn over scams. Source
16 May 2023 Police warn against fake ScamShield app used in phishing scams. Source
April 29, 2023 US man scammed of $7m when he tried to claim ‘inheritance‘ in Singapore. Source
03 Feb 2022 Iras warns public of SMS scam that includes phishing link. Source
20 Jan 2022 I responded to scammers offering me lucrative ‘job offers‘. This was what happened. Source
May 21, 2020 Man trolls ‘sugar mummy‘ scammer who offered up to $7k a week. Source
2018 “Starbucks Free $70 Gift Card to Celebrate it’s 47th Anniversary” Scam. Source
Jul 13, 2016 Online survey promising $500 in supermarket vouchers a scam: NTUC FairPrice. Source

🌐 2. Malicious Websites

📱 Common Tactics

Scammers create fake websites that imitate banks, government agencies, e-commerce platforms, or well-known companies. They use fake login pages, fake promotions, fake prize offers, or free gifts to trick victims into revealing their usernames, passwords, OTPs, bank card details, and personal information.

🛡️ How to Protect Yourself

✅ Type the official website address manually, use a trusted bookmark, or access the service through the official app.
✅ Carefully check that the website address is correct and avoid websites with similar spellings or unfamiliar domain names.
❌ Do not log in to your accounts through links in text messages, emails, online advertisements, or social media posts.

📂 Case

7 victims lose $27k to phishing scam involving fake Domino’s Pizza websites. Source
Police warn of phishing scams involving online entry visa, digital arrival card applications. Source
Scammers put up fake websites of popular brands in phishing scam. Source
A fraudulent website claiming from Singtel, inviting you to participate in a poll for Rewards/Gifts. Source
Scam site mimics Mandai Wildlife Reserve website, selling fake $10 Singapore Zoo tickets. Source

🔳 3. Malicious QR Codes & On-site Credential Theft

📱 Common Tactics

Scammers place fake QR codes at ATMs, parking lots, restaurants, shops, or other public places to lure victims into phishing websites or fraudulent payment pages. They may also shoulder surf, secretly record victims, or install card skimming devices to steal PINs, OTPs, bank card details, or other personal information.

🛡️ How to Protect Yourself

✅ Scan QR codes only from official or trusted sources, and verify the website address and purpose before proceeding.
✅ Cover the keypad when entering your password or PIN, and watch for suspicious people or unusual devices.
❌ Do not scan QR codes from unknown sources or codes that appear to have been covered, replaced, or tampered with.

📂 Case

The Singaporean is one of 71 people whose addresses were illegally altered by scammers via the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority’s (ICA) electronic service. Source
QR codes are everywhere and even though they may seem harmless, scammers are now using them to drain your wallet. Source
Turned off your outside tap, no water. Then put scan qr code for u to scan. Source
Woman who scanned QR code with malware lost $20k to bubble tea survey scam while she was sleeping. Source
DHL courier QR code scam: Fraudsters demand payment for rescheduled deliveries, know all about this new fraud. Source
A former nurse pleaded not guilty in the Magistrate’s Court today to a charge of deceiving a woman by offering a baby for adoption. Source
Man lies down on Ang Mo Kio zebra crossing, then gets up and walks off. . Source

🚨 Remember This

Scammers can fake websites, text messages, and emails, but they cannot change the official website address.

Always verify the website address before logging in, and think twice before entering any information.

🚨 Report & Get Help

🚓 Singapore Police Anti-Scam Helpline: 1800-722-6688
🌐 ScamAlert Singapore: https://www.scamalert.sg
🛡️ ScamShield (App, Website & 1799 Helpline): https://www.scamshield.gov.sg
🚨 Malaysia National Scam Response Center (NSRC): 997
🇮🇩 Indonesia Aduan Konten (Online Content Complaint Portal): https://aduankonten.id

🏛️ Verify Licensed Organisations

Always verify that an organisation, company, or individual is legitimate and properly licensed through official websites.

💰 Licensed Moneylenders
https://rom.mlaw.gov.sg/information-for-borrowers/list-of-licensed-moneylenders-in-singapore/
🏦 MAS Financial Institutions Directory
https://eservices.mas.gov.sg/fid
⚖️ Law Society of Singapore – Find a Lawyer
https://www.lawsociety.org.sg/find-a-lawyer/
🏗️ BCA Directory (Building & Renovation Contractors)
https://www1.bca.gov.sg/bca-directory
❤️ Commissioner of Charities
https://www.charities.gov.sg/

⚠️ Important Reminder

🌐 Use only official websites (such as .gov.sg or official agency websites) to verify information.
🔍 Carefully check the website address and avoid fake websites with similar spellings or different domain names.
⌨️ Whenever possible, type the website address manually, use bookmarks, or access services through the official app. Avoid logging in through search advertisements, text messages, emails, or social media links.

🧚‍♂️ Anti-Scam Guardian Angel Series

Episode 1
The $50 Key and the Disappearing Moving Truck
(Impersonation Scam · Offline)

Episode 2
The Fake Friend’s Phone Call
(Impersonation Scam · Online)

Episode 3
High-Paying Job?
(Job Scam · Online)

Episode 4
Beautiful Girl at Your Door?
(Adult Service Scam · Online)

Episode 5
The Six-Cent International Delivery Fee
(Parcel Phishing Scam · Online)