Singapore: Singapore police have warned the public to be cautious of impersonation scams involving invitations to virtual meetings with high-profile figures, including senior government officials, royalty and celebrities. The advisory, issued on May 6, said victims may be approached through social media or direct communication platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram.
According to the police advisory, fraudsters persuade victims to transfer funds for investment purposes or other reasons after approaching them with seemingly prestigious invitations. Some scams also involve false offers of gifts or claims linked to joining a royal family.
In certain cases, victims are asked to attend a virtual meeting with the president, ministers and other government officials. They are then told to provide their e-mail addresses to receive a non-disclosure agreement for the meeting.
FCRF Academy Launches Premier Anti-Money Laundering Certification Program
Fake NDAs and Identity Documents Used in Scam
The scammers allegedly ask victims to endorse the sham NDA and provide a copy of their identification card. Victims usually realise they have been cheated only after being asked to make additional fund transfers or after verifying the supposed meeting or request with the people who were impersonated.
Images shown in the report included documents marked “fake,” including what appeared to be a confidential appointment confirmation and a non-disclosure agreement using government-style formatting.
URA Warns Against Fake Parking Fine E-mails
Separately, the Urban Redevelopment Authority warned the public in a Facebook post on May 6 about scam e-mails claiming to be from the agency and seeking payment of outstanding parking fines. These e-mails reportedly include a “Pay Now” button with information about alleged parking fines, along with URA’s contact number for carpark-related inquiries and its website address.
URA said the e-mails were not from the agency and advised members of the public not to click on any links or make payment through the e-mail. The agency has alerted the police to the scam.
Official URA notices for parking fine payments are sent in hard copy by post and electronically through platforms using the “gov.sg” sender ID. Payments should be made only through URA’s website or AXS channels, while those who wish to check outstanding parking fines can visit URA’s website.
Public Told Not to Share Money or Identity Details
The public has been reminded never to transfer money or provide identification card details to strangers or to people whose identities have not been verified. Police also said Singapore government officials will never ask members of the public to transfer funds, disclose bank login details, install mobile apps from unofficial app stores, or transfer a call to the police or other government officials.
