At least 3,718 people lost $12m to fake friend call scams in first half of 2023

At least 3,718 people in the Republic have lost no less than $12 million to fake friend call scams since January.

Scammers call or text their targets, posing as friends or acquaintances, and then ask for financial assistance, the police said on Wednesday.

Those targeted first receive text messages or calls from unknown numbers, with or without the "+65" prefix.

The scammer claims to be a friend or acquaintance and asks the victim to guess their real identity.

When the victim replies with the name of a friend, the scammer pretends to be that friend and asks them to update their contact information.

Then, the scammer reaches out for a loan, claiming financial difficulties or having issues with making bank transfers.

The targeted individual is asked to transfer the money to a local bank account.

Victims only realise they have been scammed after contacting the people the scammers impersonated or when their loans are not returned.

The police said these scammers are now sending victims malicious links and asking for help with tasks such as tracking a missing phone, or making a purchase or restaurant reservation.

These links lead to phishing sites or get victims to download an installation file for an Android application.

After they are directed to phishing sites, they are asked to key in their banking credentials or card details.

This leads to unauthorised transactions made involving their bank accounts or bank cards.

Those who download the file have malware installed on their Android phones.

This allows scammers to access their target's device remotely and steal stored passwords or record keystrokes to steal banking credentials.

There were 2,106 fake friend call scams reported in 2022, with victims losing at least $8.8 million, police said in February.

More than 46 per cent of the victims were aged between 30 and 49.

The police warned the public not to download applications from third-party app stores or suspicious websites to avoid malware being installed on their devices.

When asked to download an unknown app, people should check the developer information on the app listing, as well as the number of downloads and user reviews to ensure it is a reputable and legitimate application.

"Beware of unusual requests from someone purporting to be someone you know via text messages, phone or WhatsApp calls," police said, adding that people should block suspicious numbers in WhatsApp and report any fraudulent transactions to banks immediately.

Instead of using the new contact details, people should check if requests for financial assistance are real by asking friends and family using other methods.

The police also urged people to install the ScamShield app and anti-malware apps on their device, as well as set security features.

These include two-factor authentication or multi-factor authentication for banks, and setting limits on Internet banking transactions.

People should update their devices with the latest security patches and they should not allow pop-ups to access their devices' hardware or data.

The public should check for scam signs and verify details with official sources such as www.scamalert.sg or call the Anti-Scam Helpline on 1800-772-6688.

Anyone with information relating to such crimes should call the police hotline on 1800-255-0000, or submit it at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness