Over $12,000 lost to scammers claiming to be from SP Group
If you have received e-mails or text messages from utility operator SP Group about outstanding or overpaid bills, be careful.
The police said there has been an increase in scams where conmen send e-mails or text messages purportedly from the company, with at least seven such cases reported since Oct 1.
Losses totalled at least $12,000, said the police on Nov 7.
Victims had received a text message or an e-mail claiming to be from SP Group, telling them that they either had been overcharged or had outstanding utility bills.
They were then asked to click on a link in order to pay their bill or request a refund for the overcharge.
A line in one of the e-mails read: “Important: This link is valid for 24 hours only. Please act now.”
While the hyperlink text looked legitimate, it took users to a malicious website impersonating SP Group.
Believing that they were on SP Group’s actual website, victims keyed in their personal information and credit or debit card details.
They only later realised that they had been conned after discovering unauthorised transactions, which in some cases were made in foreign currencies.
When receiving unsolicited e-emails requesting payment or personal information, people should look out for tactics urging the receiver to act quickly, as well as suspicious links that do not match the hyperlink text, said the police.
Members of the public should also ensure that the sender’s e-mail address matches that of the company from which the e-mails claim to be sent.
For more information on scams, members of the public can visit scamshield.gov.sg or call the ScamShield Helpline on 1799.
Those with information about such scams can contact the police on 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at police.gov.sg/i-witness
Scam victims in Singapore lost $651.8 million in 2023, with 46,563 scam cases reported – a 46.8 per cent rise from the 31,728 cases in 2022.
The number of cases reported in 2023 is the highest since the police started tracking them in 2016.
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