Singapore Police warn public of phishing scam targeting Domino’s Pizza customers

SINGAPORE: Singaporean authorities issued a cautionary alert on Saturday (16 Dec) regarding a fresh phishing scam exploiting unsuspecting victims through counterfeit Domino’s Pizza websites.

This scam has already victimized seven individuals between 25 Nov and 6 Dec, resulting in a collective loss of approximately S$27,000 (US$20,200), according to police.

Modus Operandi

The victims reportedly fell prey to the scam when searching for “Domino’s Pizza” online and clicking on an advertisement in the search results.

The phishing websites closely resemble Domino’s Pizza’s genuine site, complete with similar URLs, such as domino-plza.com and order.domino.piza.com.

Unsuspecting users would then proceed to place orders on these fraudulent websites, unwittingly entering their credit card details for payment.

The police stated that the victims only realized they had been scammed when they received notifications or discovered unauthorized transactions on their debit or credit cards.

Domino’s Response

In response to the emerging threat, Domino’s Pizza has issued a statement urging customers to exercise caution.

On its official website, the company emphasized the importance of verifying the legitimacy of websites, competitions, advertisements, text messages, or any unsolicited contact bearing its brand name or logo.

Domino’s reminded customers that its official email addresses and websites always end with dominos.com.sg and that misspellings are a red flag.

Domino’s also provided a crucial piece of advice to its customers: “When ordering Domino’s online, always double-check the website address before entering personal information. Simply searching ‘dominos’ in Google and clicking the first URL that comes up is not safe.”

Additionally, the company acknowledged being aware of various scams, including those perpetrated through sponsored Google advertisements.

These scams often redirect customers to deceptive websites promising awards like gift cards, to obtain sensitive personal information, such as bank account details, credit card numbers, and passwords.

To help customers distinguish official accounts from potential scams, Domino’s highlighted the presence of a “verified tick” on most of its official social media accounts.

Police’s advice to safeguard against scams

Singaporean police have recommended several measures for the public to protect themselves from such scams.

They advise installing the ScamShield App, incorporating security features like two-factor authentication (2FA) or transaction limits for Internet banking transactions, and regularly checking for updates on scamalert.sg.

For additional support, individuals can reach out to the Anti-Scam Helpline at 1800-722-6688.

In a statement, the police emphasized the importance of being vigilant: “Look out for telltale signs of a phishing website and if the deal is too good to be true, it probably is.”

“Check with the company on its official website if such deals are available and check your card transactions before approving them. If in doubt, never share your personal information and payment card details with anyone.”

The authorities encourage individuals to share information about scams with friends, family, and the relevant authorities.

Victims are advised to report any fraudulent transactions to their banks immediately.

Those with information about such crimes can contact the police hotline at 1800-255-0000 or use the online reporting platform at police.gov.sg/iwitness. In cases requiring urgent police assistance, individuals are reminded to call 999.