SINGAPORE: After receiving a phone call that aroused her suspicion, a woman took to social media to warn the public about scammers some may find very convincing, especially since they speak with a Singaporean accent.

People who perpetuate scams have become increasingly more clever over the years, and a report from October 2023 showed that S$1.4 trillion is lost annually around the globe through scams, with one out of every four persons getting victimized. Victims in Singapore have lost the most money on average, around S$5,533.10 per victim.

In a Jan 9 (Thursday) post on the COMPLAINT SINGAPORE Facebook page, Vee Bel Lee warned others to “be very careful” when receiving a call purportedly from the anti-fraud team of a bank. The callers claim the person they are calling applied for a credit card, which was then charged a few thousand dollars at a site for cryptocurrency. According to Ms Lee, the callers know the full names and identity card (IC) numbers of the people they call.

Ms Vee added that the MO of these fraudsters is to “instil a lot of anxiety and fear” by telling the people they call that their accounts and cards have been compromised. As a further step to prove that they are legitimate bank officers, the callers then transfer the call to purported employees of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), the city-state’s central bank.

A “senior investigation officer from MAS who claims to be from the CAD (Commercial Affairs Department)” then comes on the phone to help the person on the line file a police report, adding that while th...