Singapore Experiences a Surge in Scams and Cybercrime Cases in 2023
The number of scams and cybercrime cases in Singapore increased by 49.6 per cent in 2023, according to a report published by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) on February 19, 2024. The total estimated amount of money lost through scams in 2023 was S$651.8 million, up from 33,669 cases in 2022 to 50,376 in 2023.
Job scams and e-commerce scams were among the highest reported in 2023, with 9,914 and 9,783 cases reported, respectively. This is a significant increase compared to 6,492 job scams and 4,762 e-commerce scams reported in 2022. However, the average amount lost per case decreased by at least S$3,000 for both scams.
The report also revealed that 73 per cent of scam victims were below the age of 50, with 43.1 per cent of those being adults aged 30 to 49. Young adults between the age of 20 to 29 made up 24.6 per cent of scam victims. Adults most commonly fall for e-commerce scams (24.6 per cent), job scams (22.3 per cent), and phishing scams (14.3 per cent). Young adults are most susceptible to the same types of scams as adults, but rank first for job scams with 31.9 per cent.
Scammers are increasingly taking advantage of both adults and young adults through contacting them via messaging platforms, social media, and online shopping platforms. Social media was the most common contact method, with out of the 13,725 cases in 2023, where scammers contacted victims via social media, around 71.7 per cent were on Facebook and 18.5 percent were on Instagram. This is a significant increase from 2022, where there were 7,539 cases of scammers using social media to contact victims.
The SPF has implemented numerous efforts to help fight scams, including harnessing strong public-private partnerships. For instance, the Anti-Scam Command (ASCom) expanded its partnerships to more than 100 institutions, including local and foreign banks, debit/credit card security groups, and fintech companies. Through this, ASCom was able to freeze more than 19,600 bank accounts based on reports referred to the Anti-Scam Centre (ASC) and recovered more than S$100 million in 2023.
The SPF advises the public to adopt precautionary measures to safeguard against scams, which can be done by following the ACT framework:
- Add security features such as ScamShield and enable 2-Factor Authentication for personal accounts
- Check for potential scam signs by asking questions, fact-checking requests for personal information and money transfers, and verifying the legitimacy of online listings and reviews
- Tell the authorities and platform owners about your scam encounters
It is essential to stay vigilant and informed about the latest scams and tactics used by scammers. By taking the necessary precautions and reporting any scam encounters, individuals can help protect themselves and others from falling victim to these crimes.