Singapore is experiencing the dread of scams and cybercrimes in abundance as we speak, with fraudsters relying more on messaging and social media platforms to target unsuspecting victims. As per the recent figures from the Singapore Police Force (SPF), platforms like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Telegram have become common avenues for scammers, with 45% of cases involving these platforms.
There was a marked increase in the prevalence of scams and cybercrime during the first half of 2024, accounting for 28,751 cases from January to June, compared to 24,367 in 2023. Scams, in particular, made up 92.5% of these incidents, reflecting a 16.3% year-on-year uptick. Financial losses linked to these scams totaled SG$385.6 million (USD 294.65 million), marking a substantial increase of 24.6% from the previous year. On average, each victim lost SG$14,503, a 7.1% increase from last year.
Scammers largely employed social engineering techniques, manipulating victims into transferring money themselves, which accounted for 86% of reported cases. Messaging apps were a key tool for these fraudsters, with 8,336 cases involving these platforms, up from 6,555 cases the previous year. WhatsApp emerged as the most frequently used platform, featuring in more than half of these incidents. Telegram as well was a go-to resort, with a 137.5% increase in cases, making it the platform involved in 45% of messaging-related scams.
Social media platforms were also widely used, with 7,737 scam cases reported. Facebook was the most commonly exploited platform, accounting for 64.4% of these cases, followed by Instagram at 18.6%. E-commerce scams were particularly prevalent on Facebook, with 50.9% of victims targeted through this platform.
Although individuals under 50 years old represented 74.2% of scam victims, those aged 65 and older faced the highest average financial losses. Scams involving impersonation of government officials were the most costly, with an average loss of SG$116,534 per case. Investment scams followed, with average losses of SG$40,080. These scams typically involved prolonged social engineering tactics, where fraudsters gradually gained the trust of their victims to carry out the fraud.
On a positive note, the number of malware-related scam cases saw a notable drop of 86.2% in the first half of 2024, with the total amount lost decreasing by 96.8% from SG$9.1 million in 2023 to SG$295,000 this year.
Despite the reduction in certain scam types, phishing scams and impersonation scams involving government officials continue to pose serious threats. Phishing scams alone accounted for SG$13.3 million in losses, making up 3.4% of total scam-related financial losses. The SPF reported 3,447 phishing cases, which involved fraudulent emails, text messages, and phone calls from scammers posing as officials from government agencies, financial institutions, and other businesses. Additionally, impersonation scams involving government employees increased by 58%, with 580 cases reported, leading to SG$67.5 million in losses, a 67.1% increase from the previous year.
As scammers continue to adapt and refine their methods, it remains crucial for the public to stay alert, especially when using messaging and social media platforms. Sound awareness and cautious behaviour is non negotiable in avoiding these scams.
