$29k lost to DBS impersonation scams in under a month
At least 14 cases of scams involving the impersonation of DBS Bank have been reported since Sept 21, with losses amounting about $29,000.
The numbers were announced in a joint advisory by the police and DBS on Oct 8 about the recent uptick of these phishing scams, warning the public not to fall for them.
In these cases, victims would receive an e-mail or text message supposedly from DBS urging them to click on an embedded online link to resolve an urgent issue with their accounts or digital tokens, or to participate in deals, promotions or membership applications.
They would be directed to a phishing website after clicking on the link. There, they would be asked to fill in their banking credentials, card details or one-time passwords.
Victims would realise they had been scammed only upon discovering unauthorised transactions made using their bank accounts or cards.
The police and DBS advised the public to adopt precautionary measures such as installing the ScamShield app, setting security features for internet banking transactions and using the Money Lock feature to secure a portion of their savings.
They also urged people to check for signs of a scam with official sources such as the ScamShield helpline.
“Banks will never send you clickable links via SMS or e-mail. Legitimate SMSes from banks will reflect their officially registered SMS sender ID,” the advisory said.
People should tell the authorities, family and friends about potential scams, as well as report any fraudulent transactions to their bank immediately.
Anyone with information relating to such crimes can call the police hotline on 1800-255-0000 or submit it online through the police website.
The public can also visit the DBS Bank Safely Hub website to learn more about safeguarding themselves from scams and staying secure online.
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