At least $653k lost to scammers who impersonate real-life friends of victims
There has been a resurgence of fake friend scam cases, the police warned.
The cases involve scammers contacting victims through text messages or phone/WhatsApp calls, impersonating someone known to the victim.
Since April 2025, there have been at least 187 reports and losses amounting to at least $653,000.
In these cases, victims received unsolicited text messages via WhatsApp or phone/WhatsApp calls using local mobile lines from scammers claiming to be their friend.
The scammer would ask victims to guess their real identities in which victims would provide the name of a friend whom they believed the caller could be.
The scammer would then assume the identity of the said friend and ask victims to update their contact details.
They would subsequently contact victims for loan assistance or assistance in performing a banking transaction.
Victims would then be provided with a local bank account, PayNow number or QR code to transfer the money.
Victims would only discover that they had been scammed after contacting their actual friends or acquaintances whom the scammers had impersonated, or when their loan was not returned as promised.
The police advised members of the public to be wary of anyone contacting them via an unknown number asking for urgent loans.
Always make further checks to verify their identity through other sources. Never transfer money to anyone whose identity is not adequately verified.
Members of the public are encouraged to adopt the following precautionary measures to avoid falling for scams:
1. ADD - Add the ScamShield app and set security features (e.g. set up transaction limits for internet banking transactions, enable two-factor authentication (2FA), multifactor authentication for banks and e-wallets, use the money lock feature of your bank to "lock up" a portion of your money so that it cannot be transferred out digitally by anyone, further protecting your savings from scams). Do not disclose your personal information, bank/card details and one-time passwords (OTPs) to anyone.
2. CHECK - Check for scam signs with official sources such as the ScamShield App. Call and check with the 24/7 ScamShield Helpline at 1799.
3. TELL - Tell the authorities, family, and friends about scams. Report any fraudulent transactions to your bank immediately and report any suspicious advertisements to the company or platform.
For more information on scams, members of the public can visit www.scamshield.gov.sg or call the 24/7 ScamShield Helpline at 1799.
Anyone with information on such scams may call the police at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness.
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