12 Singapore victims lose S$71,000 in resurgence of Pokémon trading card job scams

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Police Force has issued a warning about a resurgence of job scams targeting victims with fake online tasks involving Pokémon and trading cards. Since August 25, at least 12 people have reported losing a combined total of S$71,000. The scammers contact victims through unsolicited messages or calls, offering remote online jobs that require completing digital tasks.

These tasks often involve opening trading card packs or selecting cards in exchange for commissions. To proceed, victims must make cryptocurrency transfers or deposits. Some victims receive small initial payouts, designed to build trust, before being asked for further payments to resolve issues or withdraw earnings. Once victims discover they have been scammed, they find they are unable to retrieve their money from the fraudulent platforms.

The police advise the public not to accept job offers promising large returns for little effort or requesting upfront payments, as these are common indicators of task-based scams. The ACT framework recommends adding the ScamShield app to block scam calls and filter suspicious messages, checking the legitimacy of suspicious messages using ScamShield or contacting the 24/7 ScamShield Helpline at 1799, informing family, friends, and authorities about scam attempts, and reporting fraudulent transactions to the bank immediately.

Further details on scams can be found at www.scamshield.gov.sg or by calling the ScamShield Helpline at 1799.