UOB, police prevented scam losses of more than $5.19m from over 900 people
More than 900 people targeted by scammers were alerted to stop cash transfers totalling more than $5.19 million in a one-month operation conducted by the police and UOB.
From May 15 to June 13, the Singapore Police Force’s Anti-Scam Centre and UOB used technology to automate various processes, such as information sharing and processing, and mass dissemination of SMS alerts to potential scam victims.
This helped to speed up intervention efforts and prevented losses, said the police in a statement on Monday.
The victims realised they had been deceived only after receiving the SMS alerts from the police advising them to stop further monetary transfers.
The police and the bank sent more than 1,300 SMS alerts to potential scam victims, after tracing fund transfers in real time across more than 700 flagged bank accounts and identifying individuals who had transferred money into these allegedly fraudulent accounts.
Having bank employees stationed at the Anti-Scam Centre facilitated close collaboration between both sides, said the police.
They advise members of the public to safeguard themselves against scams by adopting the following measures:
– Add security features such as the ScamShield app and two-factor authentication for personal accounts. Also set up transaction limits for Internet banking to limit the amount of funds that could possibly be lost in the event of a scam.
– Check for potential signs of a scam by asking questions, fact-checking requests for personal information and money transfers, and verifying the legitimacy of online listings and reviews. Take the time to pause and check. If a deal is too good to be true, it is probably untrue and a scam.
– Tell the authorities and others about scam encounters by reporting to the bank, ScamShield or by filing a police report. Tell others about ongoing scams and the preventive steps they can take.
For more information on scams, members of the public can visit www.scamalert.sg 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 at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness
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