Police warn of social website scams
Posted: 28 December 2011 1322 hrs
SINGAPORE: Police have asked members of the public not to fall for scams where they can be asked to make bank transfer payments for persons they have met only on the Internet.
The caution comes after at least three such recent cases.
In the first case in September 21 this year, a woman who went to Changi Airport to meet a male foreigner she had befriended on a dating service, received a call from someone claiming to be an immigration officer, asking her to make a bank transfer of S$13,800 for that friend whom he said had been detained.
The woman did not make that transfer but reported the case to police.
Two other similar cases took place on the 17th and 22nd of this month.
In one of these cases, the victim fell for the ruse and transferred S$3,500 to a bank account.
The cases have been classified as cheating and those found guilty may be jailed up to 10 years and fined.
Police remind members of the public that authorities here do not require any bank transfer of money for bail or fine.
They also said that they noticed that culprits spend months building rapport online before asking for money.
Police asked that people take extra caution in befriending strangers on the Internet and to consider that they really do not know anyone just from their communications over the Internet.
- CNA/fa
