Be on alert for iMessages from scammers posing as the police and Singapore courts
No financial losses have been reported, but the scam pattern has been seen across several channels.
Singaporeans using Apple's iMessage are urged to remain vigilant against scammers attempting to trick recipients into divulging personal information and banking details. The police have observed a rise in phishing scams, impersonating the police and courts, across multiple channels. Victims have received unsolicited iMessages from foreign numbers or email addresses, claiming they have committed traffic offences, unpaid parking fees, or missed court summonses.
These messages threaten consequences such as arrest warrants or vehicle impoundments, directing recipients to click a link or reply with a code to "acknowledge" the notice. Upon clicking the link, they are directed to a fake government portal where they are prompted to enter sensitive information for "payment processing". The police emphasize that the Singapore Police Force, Traffic Police, and Singapore Courts will never request payment through unsolicited links or text message replies.
Recipients of suspicious notices should verify them through official portals or by contacting the authority directly. iMessage users are advised to enable filtering for unknown senders and spam, and report suspicious messages through the app's reporting function. The police recommend installing the ScamShield app and enabling security features like two-factor authentication for bank accounts and e-wallets, along with setting transaction limits for internet banking and PayNow.
For further information on scams, the public can visit scamshield.gov.sg or call the ScamShield Helpline at 1799.
Written by urgent.news from Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
