Phishing scam involving Carousell sales re-emerges, public reminded to be alert
A phishing scam variant where scammers would pose as buyers on Carousell and send out fake CarouPay transactions has re-emerged, the police warned on Friday (May 5).
Scammers will approach victims on Carousell and express interest in purchasing their items, and then request to pay via CarouPay to the victim's PayNow account.
The victims then receive an e-mail purportedly from Carousell instructing them to access their bank account via a phishing link or PayNow QR code in order to receive the payment.
Upon clicking these links or scanning the QR codes, victims would be redirected to fraudulent websites impersonating bank websites, and tricked into providing their banking details and one-time password (OTP) in order to receive payments.
They would realise they have been scammed only after noticing unauthorised transactions in their bank accounts, police said.
Since March this year, there have been at least 69 victims to this scam, with losses amounting to at least $47,000.
Members of the public are reminded that CarouPay, now known as Carousell Protection, will never require them to confirm payment via e-mail or require them to reveal any online banking login credentials through third-party websites.
Those on e-commerce sites, such as Carousell, should always verify the buyer's profile on online marketplaces by checking the account verification status, creation date, reviews and ratings, the police said.
The public should not click on links provided in unsolicited e-mails and text messages, and should always verify the authenticity of the information with the platform or banks if they are in doubt.
They should also not disclose personal or Internet banking details and OTP to anyone, and fraudulent transactions should be reported to the bank immediately.
For more information on scams, visit Scam Alert website or call the Anti-Scam Hotline on 1800-722-6688.
Anyone with information on such scams may call the police hotline on 1800-255-0000 or submit information online.
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