Police to use single caller ID 6000 0999 from Nov 2 to combat impersonation scams

Starting from November 2, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) will rely on a single caller ID (6000 0999) for all outgoing calls, as part of a government-wide initiative to enhance public awareness and protect against scams. The SPF will be the first government agency to adopt this measure, with every call followed by an SMS from gov.sg, instructing recipients on how to reach the SPF for further assistance.

This initiative, a collaborative effort involving SPF, Open Government Products (OGP), the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI), and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), aims to make outgoing calls from government agencies more recognizable and verifiable. The unique caller ID will be used exclusively for outgoing calls and will not accept incoming calls or be utilized on messaging platforms such as WhatsApp or Telegram.

Members of the public who require additional help after receiving a call can contact SPF via its feedback portal or hotline. The government plans to gradually implement similar measures for other agencies, considering their unique operational and service delivery requirements, as well as insights from SPF's implementation.

In the first nine months of the year, there were at least 3,230 reported scams involving impersonation of Singapore government officials, resulting in losses exceeding S$142.5 million. The police were the most frequently impersonated agency, with at least 1,310 incidents reported, leading to at least S$53.3 million in losses.

Scammers often prey on people's trust in government by pretending to be legitimate officials and requesting money or sensitive information. To combat this, the government has taken steps to combat impersonation scams, including using a single SMS Sender ID and setting up the 24/7 ScamShield Helpline at 1799. However, current practices of using multiple phone numbers for outgoing calls from government agencies hinder public recognition and trust, providing opportunities for scammers to impersonate government officials.

The SPF urges the public to remain vigilant against scam calls and not to assume that a caller is a government official merely because they know personal details like a name, NRIC number, or other specifics. Victims should always verify the caller's identity directly with the relevant government agency or organization through official channels. Government officials will never ask individuals to transfer valuables, disclose banking login credentials, or install applications from unofficial app stores.