Police Advisory On Phishing Scams Perpetuated Via Social Media Advertisements Impersonating Ntuc Fairprice

The Police would like to alert members of the public to a recent uptick of phishing scams perpetuated via social media advertisements impersonating NTUC FairPrice. Since August 2024, at least 12 cases were reported, with total losses amounting to at least S$9,000.

In this scam variant, victims encountered advertisements or posts on social media (e.g. Facebook) featuring various heavily discounted goods allegedly offered by NTUC FairPrice. Enticed by the attractive promotions, victims would click on the URL links in the advertisements or posts and were then redirected to phishing websites. These phishing websites prompted victims to key in their shipping address, bank card details and/or One-Time Passwords (OTPs) for the purchase of the purported goods during checkout.

Victims would only realise that they had been scammed when they discover unauthorised transactions, that were different from their intended purchases, being charged to their credit or debit cards. In some cases, the transactions were also made in foreign currencies.

The Police would like to advise members of the public to adopt the following precautionary measures to avoid falling for scams:

1. ADD - Add the ScamShield app and set security features (e.g. set up transaction limits for internet banking transactions, enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA), Multifactor Authentication for banks and e-wallets). Do not send money to anyone you do not know or have not met in person before. Do not disclose your bank/card details and One-Time Passwords (OTPs) to anyone.
   
   
2. CHECK - Check for scam signs with official sources (e.g. call the Anti-Scam Helpline on 1800-722-6688 or visit www.scamalert.sg), or with someone you trust. . Look out for tell-tale signs of a phishing website. Do not click on dubious URL links provided in social media advertisements or posts. Be cautious of attractive deals that seem too good to be true. If in doubt, always verify the authenticity of information provided with the company or e-commerce platform directly.
   
   
3. TELL - Tell the authorities, family, and friends about scams. Report any fraudulent transactions to your bank immediately and report any suspicious advertisements to the company or e-commerce platform.

If you have any information relating to such crimes or are in doubt, please call the Police Hotline at 1800-255-0000, or submit it online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness. All information will be kept strictly confidential. If you require urgent Police assistance, please dial '999'.

For more information on scams, members of the public can visit www.scamalert.sg or call the Anti-Scam Helpline at 1800-722-6688. Fighting scams is a community effort. Together, we can ACT Against Scams to safeguard our community!