His near-miss experience highlights a worrying trend: Government impersonation scams are on the rise, with 369 cases being reported in the first half of this year, says the Singapore Police Force (SPF) – up from 320 in the same period last year. These scams also have the highest average losses at about $116,000.
Why the scam works
Such impersonation scams often come with a “layered method of deception melded with allegations of involvement in crime”, says Police Superintendent Rosie Ann McIntyre, assistant director of the Scam Public Education Office Operations Department, SPF.
Victims become fearful and more compliant to the scammers’ requests for money.
To gain the victims’ trust, scammers impersonating SPF officers may:
- Send images of fake SPF warrant cards via messaging applications such as WhatsApp
- Send forged documents such as fake reports or letters with SPF letterhead, which may contain the victims’ particulars divulged during their previous conversations
- Initiate video calls while dressed in fake SPF uniforms