Another online scam has hit Singapore as several residents in the country have received SMS claiming that their loved ones were kidnapped. On August 20, 2018, Singapore police issued an advisory note stating that several such messages are being flown across in the form of SMS. The authorities also asked citizens not to transfer money when they come across such text messages in their smartphones.
Most of the messages received by people carried the information that their loved ones are being kidnapped by a gang of goondas. The recipients of the messages were also asked to transfer a huge sum to the bank account mentioned to ensure the safety of their loved ones.
Police requested the people to stay calm if they receive such messages, and made it clear that this is actually the work of an online fraud team. If anyone receives such messages, they should not try to reply and should contact their loved ones to ensure their safety. Police also asked people to block the number from which the messages are coming to avoid further complications.
People who have any information about this case can inform the police on the hotline number 1800-255-0000. The information can also be submitted online by visiting www.police.gov.sg/iwitness. In case of any emergencies, people can avail help by calling 999.
A similar warning was issued by the Police last April when kidnapping messages started flowing across from phones to phones.
The news about the new scam surfaced just a day after two men were arrested for their alleged involvement in a series of online purchase refund scam. As per police reports. the convicts have apparently earned more than S$25,000 by operating this scam. These men had multiple accounts on online shopping platforms, and they used to order valuable accessories like gaming consoles and smartphones.
After receiving the items, both the accused will request for a refund stating that they have not received the particulars. After the refund, they used to list the purchased item in another online shopping site for resale.
