nAs internet connectivity, speeds, and digital access have advanced in recent years, the occurrence of online scams has also surged. Unscrupulous individuals are now operating across different time zones and countries to perpetrate fraud and deception.
On a brighter note, the rise in specific scams has made it somewhat easier for individuals to safeguard themselves.
Let’s explore some of the most common scams currently affecting Malaysia and Singapore, along with tips for protecting yourself.
Emergency Call for Help
The “fake friend” scam has recently become the most prevalent scam, resulting in over S$3.2 million (RM10.6 million) in losses since January.
This scam exploits people’s willingness to assist those they believe are friends in distress.
Typically, a scammer impersonates a familiar person and reaches out to the potential victim through calls or texts. They craft a convincing story about their plight before requesting financial assistance to resolve their issue. To make their narrative more believable and explain why they’re using a different phone number, the scammer often claims that they lost their phone or had to change their number.
Some individuals even go to the extent of imitating someone’s voice using AI technology. Recently, a couple in Canada lost S$28,000 after answering a call from someone who claimed to be their son. The AI successfully reproduced the son’s voice, which was convincing enough for them to believe it.
The Singapore Police Force advises the public to confirm such requests by consulting a mutual friend or family member before providing any financial assistance.
A more effective approach is to reach out to the person through a different method, such as a video call or an in-person meeting. This not only helps verify their identity but also alerts them that their name is being misused for fraudulent activities.
Caution for consumers
Everyone enjoys a good deal, and scammers have begun to exploit this tendency.
In e-commerce scams, criminals establish seemingly legitimate stores on social media platforms. They attract unsuspecting buyers by advertising products at steep discounts or offering enticing bundled deals that seem too good to be true.
These social media platforms fail to fulfil their responsibilities after victims make their payments. Even more aggravating is their tendency to ignore or block communications from the victims.
A notable recent victim of such a scam was Charlie Goh, an actor from Ah Boys to Men, who lost S$160 when he ordered several kilograms of salmon and wagyu beef that never arrived. Alongside filing a police report, he expressed his frustration on social media by criticizing the fraudulent business.
According to a report from Singapore police on March 7, since February, 168 individuals have been defrauded of over S$20,000 through e-commerce scams that involve selling food items like wagyu beef and durians.
The situation is similarly dire in Malaysia, where the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) links the increase in e-commerce scams to lockdowns imposed due to COVID-19, which pushed many shoppers online.
To safeguard against such scams, it is advisable to exercise caution when purchasing from lesser-known or unregulated e-commerce websites. If you have concerns, consider consulting official resources, such as the safety rating system for e-commerce platforms provided by Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs.
Keep in mind that as concerts and large-scale live events resume, scammers are likely to exploit consumers’ fear of missing out. Therefore, it’s wise to steer clear of purchasing tickets from scalpers.
Targeting job seekers
With an increasing number of individuals eager for employment and open to exploring different job opportunities, scammers have identified a new group of potential victims in the gig economy following the pandemic. A report from the Singapore police indicates that more young adults are falling prey to job scams.
One prevalent tactic involves contacting victims via WhatsApp or social media to offer part-time positions that promise several hundred dollars a day.
These jobs usually require individuals to buy products from an online store and then provide reviews to enhance the store’s ratings. Victims are assured they will be reimbursed for their purchases and earn a commission for their reviews.
Another scheme asks victims to pay a processing fee to have their job applications reviewed, often with no actual job available.
A recent account highlighted how a 23-year-old lost S$300,000 in just five days after being drawn into a buy-and-rate scam, which escalated from purchasing small items to acquiring a fridge worth a thousand dollars, followed by an S$80,000 Rolex.
Given the current situation, officials recommend that job seekers conduct thorough research to verify the legitimacy of the “companies” recruiting them. This includes checking whether these companies have a professional website and an accessible human resources department. Furthermore, a key principle to remember is that legitimate companies will never ask for payment in exchange for job opportunities.
Exploitation of AI
While traditional scams, such as the infamous “Nigerian prince” email, were previously easy to identify due to their ridiculous narratives and poor grammar, this is no longer true. Nowadays, even the most vigilant and grammatically savvy individuals may find themselves at risk, as scammers are increasingly utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance their schemes.
Cybersecurity specialists caution that generative AI chatbots, like ChatGPT, can now refine and polish fraudulent messages.
According to Matt Oostveen, regional vice president and chief technology officer at Pure Storage, the quality of text used in phishing attempts has significantly improved over the last six months, coinciding with the surge in the popularity of chat AI. This enhancement is attributed to the more courteous and polished writing style these tools provide.
Consequently, users are urged to remain vigilant for any suspicious attachments, email headers, sender addresses, and embedded URLs—elements that AI assistance cannot easily manipulate.
Ensuring safety and security
If you’re uncertain, remember that there are numerous online tools available to help spot potential scams.
One valuable resource is the Scam Alert website, managed by Singapore’s National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) in partnership with the Singapore police. Anxious individuals can also contact the Anti-Scam Hotline at 1800-722-6688 for assistance. For those in Singapore, Scam Shield serves as an excellent tool to identify and block fraudulent calls and text messages on your phone and report any suspicious activities you may encounter.
Baskaran Sithamparam from the Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) emphasizes the importance of research for consumers using social media services, whether for purchases or job searches.
He notes that resources such as Semak Mule allow users to verify if the account they are sending money to is linked to criminal activity. However, he cautions that there may be some accounts that have not yet been identified, so it’s wise to remain vigilant, even if an account seems legitimate.
In summary, if an offer appears overly appealing or too perfect, it likely isn’t genuine.
Additionally, PDRM has launched Semak Mule, a platform that maintains a database of phone and bank numbers linked to scammers. Since its inception in 2020, the site has recorded around 15 million inquiries.
Despite these efforts and the collaboration between law enforcement agencies from both countries to dismantle scam operations, alongside discussions between Malaysian Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil and his Singaporean counterpart on issues like personal data protection and cybersecurity, it’s crucial to recognize that the
best defence against scams lies with consumers themselves.
Navigating the Path to Secure Online Surfing
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