Scammers use malware to capture images of people engaging in sex acts during video call and extort them
The police are warning the public about a malware scam involving online sexual services with at least six cases and more than $20,000 in losses reported since November.
Scam victims would typically encounter offers of sexual services on platforms such as TikTok or Instagram Threads.
The scammers would then deceive the victims into downloading a malicious application under the pretext of initiating a video call. The malware would allow scammers to remotely access the victims' photo galleries and contact lists in their devices.
After successfully capturing images of the victims engaging in sexual acts during the video call or retrieving compromising content from the victims' photo galleries, the scammers would threaten to send the photographs to the victims' contacts, unless the victims transfer money to the scammers.
The police urge anyone who is threatened or extorted to make a report immediately.
They also advised the public to stay vigilant by installing scam-prevention and antivirus tools, keeping devices updated, avoiding apps from unknown sources, and checking suspicious messages or links through official platforms.
Members of the public should also share scam information with family and friends and report any fraudulent transactions to their banks promptly.
For those who may have downloaded a malicious app, the police recommend switching the phone to flight mode, running an antivirus scan, and checking sensitive accounts from another device.
Victims should report unauthorised transactions immediately and avoid performing a factory reset before informing the police, as this could affect investigations.
Anyone who needs advice may call the 24/7 ScamShield Helpline at 1799 or visit www.scamshield.gov.sg.
