The Singapore Police Force has issued an urgent advisory warning the public about a surge in phishing scams spread through food-related social media advertisements. Since 15 June 2025, at least 77 victims have fallen prey, suffering combined losses of more than S$48,000. These scams capitalise on irresistible promotions for items like discounted durians or snacks on platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram.
Unsuspecting users are lured by eye-catching food deals and persuaded to click on embedded links. These links redirect victims to phishing websites that mimic legitimate online shops, where they are prompted to input sensitive information such as credit or debit card details, internet banking credentials, and One-Time Passwords (OTPs). Some victims reported receiving suspicious SMS prompts to enter their YouTrip login codes, only to later find unauthorised logins and transactions in their accounts.
Victims Discover Fraud After Unauthorised Transactions
Many victims only realised they had been scammed after spotting unauthorised charges on their bank statements or credit cards. In several cases, victims’ YouTrip accounts were compromised, with fraudulent top-ups and transactions in foreign currencies carried out by scammers. The police highlighted that scammers are increasingly exploiting well-known e-wallet services, targeting unsuspecting users with sophisticated phishing techniques.
Authorities advise the public to exercise extreme caution when encountering too-good-to-be-true food deals on social media. Users should avoid clicking on unfamiliar links, verify promotions through official channels, and look for red flags such as suspicious URLs or unexpected OTP prompts. Setting up security features like transaction limits, enabling two-factor authentication (2FA), and using “Money Lock” functions on banking apps can significantly reduce the risk of online fraud.
How to Stay Safe: Add, Check, Tell
The police recommend adopting the “ACT” approach: ADD security features such as ScamShield and transaction limits, CHECK suspicious deals and links with official sources or the ScamShield Helpline at 1799, and TELL friends, family, and authorities about scams to raise awareness. Swiftly report any unauthorised transactions to your bank, and report dubious social media ads to the relevant platform to prevent further victims.
For more advice on safeguarding against phishing scams in Singapore, visit www.scamshield.gov.sg. Together, we can ACT Against Scams and protect our community from online fraud.