The Police would like to remind members of the public of parcel delivery phishing scams where scammers obtain the victim’s personal details and banking credentials on the pretext of delivery charges.

With the upcoming festive period and major online shopping events (i.e., Christmas, New Year and Chinese New Year), members of the public are advised to be more cautious of such scams. Between January to November 2023, at least 362 victims had fallen prey, with total losses amounting to at least $560,000.

In this variant, victims would receive a text message or email requiring additional payment to facilitate the delivery of their purchased items. These text messages or emails are usually designed to appear as if they were sent by postage and eCommerce logistics companies such as Singapore Post (SingPost) and would contain a phishing link. Victims who click on the phishing link are led to a spoofed website to key in their personal details and/or banking credentials. Victims would discover that they had been scammed when they notice unauthorised transactions made to their bank accounts or credit cards.

The Police would like to advise members of the public to adopt the following precautionary measures:  

1. ADD – ScamShield App and security features (e.g., Set up transaction limits for internet banking transactions, enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA), Multifactor Authentication for banks.
   
2. CHECK – For scam signs with official sources (e.g. ScamShield WhatsApp bot @ https://go.gov.sg/scamshield-bot, call the Anti-Scam Helpline on 1800-722-6688, or visit www.scamalert.sg). Delivery charges are usually paid upfront when purchases are made. SingPost will never send you a text message or email requesting additional payment through an embedded link that demands that you give SingPost your personal or banking information. Any payment to SingPost can only be done via the SingPost Mobile App, at SAM machines, or any post office. Please refer to https://www.singpost.com/online-security-you to stay alert against scams. Always verify the authenticity of the information with the official website or sources, even if you are expecting the delivery of a parcel and do not click on links provided in unsolicited messages or emails. Look out for tell-tale signs of a phishing website and never disclose your personal or banking credentials, including One Time Passwords (OTPs) to anyone. Always check the transaction details before approving any transactions (Refer to Annex B)!
   
3. TELL – authorities, family, and friends about scams. Report any fraudulent transactions to your bank immediately. 

If you have any information relating to such crimes or if you are in doubt, please call the Police Hotline at 1800-255-0000, or submit it online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness. 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!

A 36-year-old woman and a 51-year-old man will be charged in court on 18 December 2023 for their suspected involvement in living on prostitution earnings of other persons and employing a servant who permitted prostitutes to occupy rooms in a hotel. 

On 25 and 26 April 2023, officers from the Central Police Division conducted an enforcement operation at a hotel in the vicinity of Beach Road and arrested eight vice workers for allegedly using remote communication service to offer sexual services.

Investigations by the Criminal Investigation Department revealed that the 36-year-old woman, who was a staff at the hotel, had allegedly facilitated the provision of sexual services by the vice workers at the hotel, and earned commission that was deducted from the vice workers’ prostitution earnings. The 51-year-old man, who is the hotel-keeper of the hotel, is liable for an offence for employing the woman who permitted prostitutes to occupy rooms in the hotel. 

Under the Women’s Charter 1961, any person who knowingly lives wholly or in part on the earnings of the prostitution of a woman or girl shall be guilty of an offence and shall be punished on conviction with imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years and shall also be liable to a fine not exceeding $100,000. Where the person is a repeat offender, he shall be liable on conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years and shall also be liable to a fine not exceeding $150,000. 

Under the Hotels Licensing Regulations, any licensee who permits any person whom he knows or has reason to believe is a prostitute, catamite or bad character to occupy a room in the hotel or to frequent the premises, shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,000, and for a second or subsequent conviction to a fine not exceeding $2,000.  Whenever any person licensed under the Hotels Act 1954 would be liable under the provisions of that Act or of any regulations made thereunder to any pecuniary penalty or forfeiture for any act, omission, neglect or default, he shall be liable to the same pecuniary penalty or forfeiture for every similar act, omission, neglect or default of any agent or servant employed by him in the course of his business as such licensed person.

The Police will continue to take tough enforcement actions against those involved in criminal activities that threaten public safety, peace and good order of the community. 

The Police would like to alert members of the public to a new variant of phishing scam which involves fake Domino’s Pizza websites that were surfaced via advertisements on online search engines. Between 25 November and 6 December 2023, seven victims have fallen prey to this variant with losses amounting to around S$27,000.

In these cases, victims reported falling prey to phishing scam when they searched for “Domino’s Pizza” on online search engine and clicked on an advertisement in the search results. These phishing websites may resemble the genuine website of Domino’s Pizza including bearing similar URLs (e.g., domino-plza.com; order.domino.piza.com) and website layouts. Victims would place an order through the phishing scam websites and disclose their credit card details to make payment. Victims would realise that they had been scammed after they were notified or discovered unauthorised card transactions made on their debit/credit cards.

The Police would like to advise members of the public to adopt the following precautionary measures:  

1. ADD – ScamShield App and security features (e.g. set up transaction limits for internet banking transactions, enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA), Multifactor Authentication for banks.
   
2. CHECK – For scam signs with official sources (e.g. ScamShield WhatsApp bot @ https://go.gov.sg/scamshield-bot, call the Anti-Scam Helpline on 1800-722-6688, or visit www.scamalert.sg). Look out for tell-tale signs of a phishing website and if the deal is too good to be true, it probably is. Check with the company on its official website if such deals are available and check your card transactions before approving them. If in doubt, never share your personal information and payment card details with anyone.
   
3. TELL – authorities, family, and friends about scams. Report any fraudulent transactions to your bank immediately. 

If you have any information relating to such crimes or if you are in doubt, please call the Police Hotline at 1800-255-0000, or submit it online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness. 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!

HSA Nabs 36-year-old E-vaporiser Sellers, More than $17,000 Worth of E-vaporisers and Components Seized

On 12 December 2023, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) conducted an operation at Choa Chu Kang Avenue 7. A 36-year-old male suspected of selling e-vaporisers via the Telegram platform was caught.

2        HSA had conducted a series of surveillance activities, following a tip-off regarding the alleged sale of e-vaporisers in the vicinity of Choa Chu Kang Avenue 7. HSA then raided the residence of the man suspected of selling e-vaporisers.

3        During the search, HSA officers uncovered more than 1,000 pieces of e-vaporisers and related components, with an estimated street value of over $17,000. These illicit products have been seized, and the 36-year-old male is currently assisting HSA in its investigations.

4        HSA will not hesitate to take stern enforcement actions on those who conduct illegal activities including the peddling of prohibited e-vaporisers to members of the public.

Penalties for such offences in Singapore    

5        HSA would like to remind the public that it is an offence[1] to import, distribute, sell or offer for sale e-vaporisers and their components. Any person convicted of an offence is liable to a fine of up to $10,000, or imprisonment of up to six months or both for the first offence, and a fine of up to $20,000, or imprisonment of up to 12 months or both for the second or subsequent offence. All prohibited tobacco items will also be seized and confiscated.

Consumer advisory

6           Members of the public are reminded that the possession, use or purchase of e-vaporisers is illegal and carries a maximum fine of $2000. Information pertaining to prohibited tobacco products in Singapore is available on the HSA website and more details about the harms of e-vaporisers can be found in this HealthHub article.

7        Members of the public who have information on the illegal import, distribution, sale or offer for sale of e-vaporisers can contact HSA’s Tobacco Regulation Branch at Tel: 6684 2036 or 6684 2037 during office hours (9:00am to 5:30pm, Monday to Friday).

HEALTH SCIENCES AUTHORITY
SINGAPORE
16 DECEMBER 2023