Victims scammed of S$20,000 trying to buy durian, wagyu beef from online platforms
Screenshots of the e-commerce scams involving the sale of food items on online platforms such as Facebook. (Images: Singapore Police Force)
SINGAPORE: At least 168 people were cheated in the past month while trying to buy expensive and seasonal food items online, the police said on Monday (Mar 6).
Since February, a total of at least S$20,000 has been lost to scammers advertising items like seafood, black gold musang king durian, cherries and wagyu beef.
The police said they had received reports lodged against allegedly fraudulent Facebook pages such as Grocery Retail, Department Store, Juewei Food, Baihui Mall and Ocean Fishery Exchange.
Investigations are ongoing.
“The police would like to remind the public to be discerning when shopping online, especially when ordering pricey and seasonal food items through online platforms,” it said.
Scammers involved in these incidents pretend to be “sellers” and entice victims by posting offers or sponsored advertisements of food items on online platforms such as Facebook, police said.
Victims interested in the deals would then contact the “sellers” directly via Facebook Messenger.
After confirming the price and order details, the “seller” would instruct the victim to make payment to his or her bank account via PayNow.
Victims would only realise that they had been scammed when they did not receive the goods or if the “seller” becomes uncontactable.
In July 2021, victims of a phishing scam involving purported false advertisements on the sale of crabs lost more than S$15,000.
Advisory on e-commerce scams
- Add ScamShield App and set security features like two-factor (2FA) or multifactor authentication for banks, social media, Singpass accounts and transaction limits on internet banking transactions, including PayNow.
- Check for scam signs with official sources, such as by visiting the scam alert website or calling the Anti-Scam Hotline at 1800-722-6688.
- Purchase only from authorised sellers or reputable sources and be wary of purported time-sensitive deals.
- Avoid making upfront payments to bank accounts belonging to unknown individuals and, whenever possible, avoid making advance payments or direct bank transfers to the seller.
- Always verify the seller’s profile through customer reviews and ratings.
- Tell authorities, family, and friends about the scam so they do not fall for it. Report the fraudulent pages to Facebook.
