Woman allegedly loses life savings overnight after joining FB 'hiking group' and instructed to install app
A woman allegedly lost all her life savings after connecting with a Facebook group for hikers called "Happy Strides".
A Stomper alerted Stomp to a June 9 post by Facebook user Raji Vry, who said the woman was a close friend.
The administrator of the Facebook group was someone named Jamie.
The post said: "Jamie asked my friend to install this app Azure Club to create her profile by guiding her while talking to her on WhatsApp call.
"Her mobile phone started to lag and Jamie said it's normal and she should just let the program run. The mobile went blank for a few seconds, then everything went back normal."
That was on June 7.
The next day, when she tried to pay for lunch with her debit card, it was declined.
"She tried to withdraw money from DBS ATM, but there was only about $100 left in her cash balance," said the post.
"That's when she realised something was wrong.
"Large amounts were withdrawn and siphoned to scammers. On top of that, 15 purchases were made to YouTrip account using her digital token. Her transfer limits were changed to facilitate large amount transfers. Her notifications were muted. Her emails were hacked."
Both her DBS accounts were emptied.
"That's her life savings and she was planning to retire. Police report is lodged," said the post.
One netizen commented on the post: "Yeah, they asked me to pay also, then I saw the link and it's asking for my bank details. When I said I can't do that and prefer to pay cash, she blocked me."
The Happy Strides Facebook group may look legitimate, but it appears the photos on its page were taken from other hiking groups.
In one instance, a photo posted on May 20 was originally posted in the Exploring Singapore Hiking Group on Dec 15, 2024.
Happy Strides also stole another photo originally posted on Dec 14, 2024, by Exploring Singapore Hiking Group.
Additionally, the email address listed on the Happy Strides Facebook page is spelled "gamil.com" instead of "gmail.com".
Members of the public should be wary of installing apps that are outside of the official Google Play Store and Apple App Store, or from dubious sites.
Instead, adopt these precautionary measures:
- ADD - anti-virus/anti-malware applications to your device. Update your devices' operating systems and applications regularly to be protected by the latest security patches. Disable 'Install Unknown App' or 'Unknown Sources' in your phone settings. Do not grant permission to persistent popups that request for access to your device's hardware or data.
- CHECK - the developer information on the application listing as well as the number of downloads and user reviews to ensure it is a reputable and legitimate application. Only download and install applications from official app stores (i.e., Google Play Store for Android).
- TELL - Authorities, family, and friends about scams. Report any fraudulent transactions to your bank immediately.
For more information on scams, members of the public can visit www.scamshield.gov.sg or call the ScamShield helpline at 1799.
Anyone with information on scams can call the police hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness. All information will be kept strictly confidential.
