Singaporeans lose S$96.8 million to job scams in 2023

SINGAPORE: Singapore police reported on Saturday (16 Sep) that job scams have duped at least 6,600 individuals this year, leading to staggering losses of approximately S$96.8 million (US$80 million).

These statistics indicate a sharp rise from the mid-year crime data, which documented over 5,700 job scam incidents with losses reaching S$79.4 million.

As these fraudulent schemes become increasingly rampant, police have observed a new variant of job scam.

In this deceitful approach, potential victims are enticed with unsolicited WhatsApp or Telegram messages, inviting them to partake in surveys or promote social media content in return for a nominal commission.

Once victims are persuaded by the initial offer’s legitimacy, scammers direct them to another messaging group. Here, victims are given tasks, often under the guise of “enhancing” cryptocurrency values or “evaluating” online sellers.

The police explained, “To execute these duties, victims are required to set up profiles on deceitful websites and wire funds to bank details handed out by the fraudsters.” They further highlighted that, in several instances, victims are deceived into fronting substantial personal funds under various pretexts.

The scam’s true nature becomes evident when victims are either unable to claim their promised commission or find themselves unable to contact the culprits.

Wednesday’s mid-year crime data highlighted that the predominant scams in Singapore for the first half of the year comprised job scams, e-commerce deceptions, counterfeit friend call cons, phishing schemes, and investment frauds.

Collectively, these fraudulent tactics represented a significant 83.8% of all documented cases. Notably, the frequency and financial consequences of three out of the top five scams surged compared to the first half of 2022.

In light of these alarming trends, the police urge the public to validate any suspicious offers via official channels, such as the scam awareness website or the anti-scam hotline at 1800-722-6688.

Their message is clear: “Refrain from engaging with questionable job propositions that pledge high returns for minimal work and avoid transferring funds to unfamiliar individuals or those you haven’t personally met.”