REACH 392 - What are your views on Singapore's efforts to fight scams? How do you think we can better protect Singaporeans from falling prey to scams?
(SK)
31 Aug 2022 (10am - 7pm)
REACH
[9:57 am, 31/08/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors,
Welcome back! ๐
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Megan ๐
[10:00 am, 31/08/2022] +REACH: ๐ข Topic ๐ข
According to statistics released by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) on 29 Aug (Mon), scams continue to be the main driver of crime in the first half of 2022.
A total of 14,139 scam cases were reported from Jan-Jun 2022, up from 7,746 cases in the same period last year. This amounted to $227.8 million that has been lost to the top 10 scams in the first half of 2022.
Job scams, the fifth scam of concern during the same period last year, has risen to become the most prevalent scam type. Phishing scams, e-commerce scams and investment scams also remain of particular concern.
๐ฌ What are your views on Singapore's efforts to fight scams? How do you think we can better protect Singaporeans from falling prey to scams?
Scams are typically difficult to investigate and prosecute, especially since that 90 per cent of scams originate from overseas, SPF added that scammers are also usually part of organised criminal groups, and run sophisticated transnational operations, which are not easy to detect or dismantle. These scammers are also well-resourced, and adept at using technology to cover their trackers.
Nonetheless, the Government has taken steps to protect Singaporeans from scams. For example, more than 24,500 phone numbers, believed to be used in scams, have been blocked by the Scamshield app. The app helps to filter scam messages and block calls from phone numbers that are verified as scam-related.
The Anti Scam Command, set up in March 2022, also continues to disrupt scammers' operations. It has frozen more than 7,800 bank accounts and recovered close to $80 million, around 31.4% of total amount scammed.
"A discerning and well-informed public is the best defence against scams, especially given the increase in scam variants," said SPF, adding that it will continue to work with the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) to conduct public education on scams, especially online where most scams are taking place.
๐ https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/2278m-lost-to-top-10-scams-in-first-half-of-2022-as-overall-crime-rises-by-36
๐https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/at-least-781000-lost-in-job-scams-since-april-where-victims-were-told-to-rate-apps
๐ https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/anti-scam-app-scamshield-blocks-24500-phone-numbers-51m-smses-reported-on-app
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[10:03 am, 31/08/2022] +SL: Anti Scam Command ๐๐๐, recovered 80mil.
[10:20 am, 31/08/2022] +Uncle Law: First we are too complacent, hence easy fall into scams.
No doubt there is ongoing advisory at lift lobbies or on crimewatch, but usually we ignored.
[11:47 am, 31/08/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors,
We’d love to hear MORE FROM YOU on today’s topic!
๐ฌ What are your views on Singapore's efforts to fight scams? How do you think we can better protect Singaporeans from falling prey to scams?
We have had good feedback from this group, and we hope that we can keep the discussion robust and active!
Megan ๐
[1:25 pm, 31/08/2022] +Smiley face: 31 August 2022
To: Our Distinguished Ministers, Our Stakeholders and All Honorable Members
"The Challengers of the Law and the Order (ไธๆๅคฉ้ซๅฐๅ)"
"What you do not wish for yourself, do not do to others?"
- - Confucius, Analects
When?
The origin meaning of today's 'Conman', in the history of Mankind, is an known acronym the 'Confidence Man'.
These Conmen have proven beyond the benefit of all doubts so much so it have evolved into today's vices, that is more daring to scam or to cheat innocent people off their monies boundaryless!
How?
One way in dealing with these confidence men (or women), besides public educations, stricter laws to clamp down these socially disgusting habits.
Our current laws on cheat or scam are lenient in terms of short jail term and fines. One additional deterrent to these crimes is to legislate caning (single stroke to 6 strokes) as one compulsory punitive and corrective actions across all scammers and cheaters.
Two, during investigations process, these suspected criminals assets would be frozen from bank accounts (including joint account), up to five years cannot remit (include paylah or paynow or credit card) money within or to foreign nation, properties (including private & public) to CPF account to be put aside for auction to repay victims their hard earned monies.
Three, the counter arguments to enact more punishments may infringe on "human rights" and an advanced society that embraces "second chance" for criminals of all severities? What are the recourse and fairness to the hundreds thousands of victims? They have their basic human rights to consider too? Perhaps, an old Confucius saying, "What you do not wish for yourself, do not do to others?". With this simple logic, our current laws need to be stricter and these culprits need to be "painfully" punished!
Where?
Outside of our jurisdiction, it is less hopeful in apprehending and recovering lost monies out of these highly intelligent and sophisticated crime syndicates.
Within our legal territory, our policymakers and stakeholders should discuss and implement tougher punishments. If stricter laws were to be enacted, confidently, our local scammers or cheaters would think harder before collaborate with international crime groups or in solo attempts to commit these "fast and easy daylight robberies", aka scamming or cheating activities.
Any leniency towards these unlawful and highly organised activities is a direct challenge of our existing Law and our valuable Order (ไธๆๅคฉ้ซๅฐๅ)"!
- - in progress - -
[1:31 pm, 31/08/2022] ☸️ Danny ๅฟ:
Why Scams in Singapore are rampant today and has become the main driver of crime in Singapore
1. IT Enabler
- with our drive to foster Digital Economy as our next development of growth
- it has given rise to proliferation to IT tech
- which in turn make international hackers and scammers the mean to cross international boundaries
- and prey on gullible Singaporeans and residents
- which will not be possible previously without IT - as scammers have to physically done face-to-face.
- Enablers are IT communication media such as Whatsapp, SMS, phone calls, email, web sites with baiting URL links etc.
2. Financial Hub
- Singapore is a financial hub that has successfully attract rich individuals to put their money in Singapore for wealth accumulation, live and work in Singapore
- Hence, Singapore become a magnet of financial crime - as this is where the money is
3. Human weakness
- Human inherently has 3 roots of weakness - Ignorance, Greed and Hatred
- Scammers - prey on 2 roots of weakness - specifically Ignorance and Greed.
- Ignorance - stem from lack of knowledge, fear, insecurity, social interaction desires
- Greed - stem from greed of easy money, promise of high returns
- And hence, love scams, phishing scams, authority threat of prosecution scam, investment scams, friend or relative scams etc --- can be pull off successfully.
- Even companies fall into scams - by paying scammers money on invoices falsely created on legitimate business partners.
[1:36 pm, 31/08/2022] +Uncle Law: In a blunt way, once beaten twice shy. Then we learnt and be more careful
[1:38 pm, 31/08/2022] +Uncle Law: The banks need to continue to educate and remind their customers on safeguarding their assets
[1:45 pm, 31/08/2022] +Poh S. Lim: Agreed
[1:48 pm, 31/08/2022] ☸️ Danny ๅฟ:
Efforts to tackle scammers
1. As reported, 90% of scams come from overseas - and they are organised, sophisticated scam gangs with indepth knowledge of IT tech, prey on psychological weakness of victims --- to pull off scams crossing international boundaries.
2. As bank transfer can be done electronically and instantaneously across international boundaries - effort to recover the loss and arresting scammers - are very difficult.
3. Hence, scam crimes must be stopped at the "Source".
4. Stopping scam crime at the Source - must be done at 2 fronts :-
a. State front
b. Individual front
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[2:05 pm, 31/08/2022] +RH: Imo, if 90% of such scams originate fr overseas, ther is not much we can do ,
except to work hand-in-hand w international and foreign anti-crime agencies to fight agst such scams and try to recover the monies lost.
However, prosecution and re- transfer of monies bk to another country may also be difficult to enforce / pursue due to different laws in diff countries.
We cannot tell another country wat or how to do their jobs.
Perhaps our local SPF can send their officers overseas for training & also station in tt country (wher the scams r known to perpetuate from) as a member of their task force. At the same time, to learn how they work scams ther and how to counter it, etc).
This can be done also on an "exchange" program basis to promote int'l co-operation.
At the same time, we need more Tech-savvy ppl in the back end of our SPF. Ppl who understand coding and can think how to block or counter potential scammers by breaking their codes.
๐๐ปthis wud be a pre-emptive move, if it can be done.
Rather than always being three steps behind ...
[2:07 pm, 31/08/2022] +REACH: ๐ข Topic ๐ข
According to statistics released by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) on 29 Aug (Mon), scams continue to be the main driver of crime in the first half of 2022.
A total of 14,139 scam cases were reported from Jan-Jun 2022, up from 7,746 cases in the same period last year. This amounted to $227.8 million that has been lost to the top 10 scams in the first half of 2022.
Job scams, the fifth scam of concern during the same period last year, has risen to become the most prevalent scam type. Phishing scams, e-commerce scams and investment scams also remain of particular concern.
๐ฌ What are your views on Singapore's efforts to fight scams? How do you think we can better protect Singaporeans from falling prey to scams?
Scams are typically diffic…
[2:09 pm, 31/08/2022] +RH: As for us in the general popn, wat can I say ... ?
๐คฆ๐ผ♀️ther r those who gv in to Greed ...
๐คฆ๐ผ♀️ther r those who r curious ...
๐คฆ๐ผ♀️ther r those who r illiterate ...
๐คฆ๐ผ♀️ther r those who r just plain ignorant ...
... and the list goes on ...
So, such scams wl nvr end as long as ther r such ppl ard us.
[2:10 pm, 31/08/2022] ☸️ Danny ๅฟ:
State Front to stop Scam Crime
1. State play a very important role of stopping scam crime - as scam crime are done from 2 fronts :-
a. IT tech front
b. Financial front
IT Tech Front
1. IT tech is beyond the means of many commoners - which explain why State need to play an important role to prevent, detect and stop scammers exploiting IT.
Eg.
a. Scammers send SMS and Whatsapp with URL links to the phishing websites
- State need telcos help to block URL links from SMS
- State need to provide anti-scam mechanism - eg. ScamShield for iOS smartphone, and the coming launch of ScamShield for Android smartphone to be announced in next month.
- + sign to international calls by Telcos - to warn public not to pick up such calls as they are likely to be scammers
b. Actively blocking of suspected scamming websites - by Telcos firewall, proxies, content filtering.
c. Awareness programme, Education to the public on scamming technique, Crimewatch, posters etc.
d. Setting up of Anti-Scam unit and command centre - staff by IT experts, banks personnel and commercial police - to detect, prevent, protect and stop suspected scam at the source .
2. In this aspect, the State has done pretty well to educate, prevent, detect and stop the scam crime.
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[2:54 pm, 31/08/2022] ☸️ Danny ๅฟ:
Financial Front
1. At the financial front, Bank staff will need to be particularly alert to detect and block suspicious financial activities - that could be scam.
2. If banks and the State can work together using AI, data analytics - to pick up suspicious financial activities that are related to scam - whether through true-positive, true-negative, false-positive or false-negative ---- then it will be very helpful to sieve our scams activities in bank transfer and bank transaction - so that any such financial transaction can be stopped before transfer happens.
3. Process, procedure such as kill switch, delay transfer, delay changing of transfer limit, new transferee etc ---- will help to delay, spot, detect, prevent or stop scam.
4. State by working on the IT tech front and Financial front ---- will be able to sieve out most "Contact points" reaching the public ---- and less public will be subjected to scam efforts by the scammers.
5. But State cannot ensure zero scam crime by its own efforts ---- as Individuals need to be able to detect and prevent themselves from falling into scam.
If individuals can spot and prevent themselves from falling into scams - in the event some scam efforts manage to penetrate State draconian efforts from the IT tech front and financial front - to block and sieve out scam coming from abroad.
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[3:17 pm, 31/08/2022] ☸️ Danny ๅฟ:
Individual Efforts needed to stop scam crime
1. Individuals need to be very "street smart".
a. Any attempts by people that are strangers to us ---- is a "red alert" that ring in our mind ---- whenever we received a call or sms or whatsapp or telegrams or email - from unknown sources.
In fact, I will assigned 99% rating to such calls or message --- as "Untrusted and Dangerous" ---- which I will reject such call with + sign, messages from whatsapp, telegrams, sms or email ----- to block as spam.
b. Any calls from local (without + sign), or messages from Whatsapp, or SMS or email - that look like legitimate sources such as Government or Business organisations eg. MOH, CPF, SPF etc or commercial organisations or individuals --- I will assigned 80% as untrusted --- and I will check, verify, double confirm from official sources ---- to determine whether they are legitimate.
c. Any calls or messages - that touches on individual credentials, bank credentials --- anything to do with money ----- will ring "a BIG RED RED Alert bell" --- and I will usually cut short my conversation ---- check, verify, double confirm from official sources.
d. I will as far as possible refrain from doing any monetary transaction, giving away of login, access, and security credentials such as passwords, otp etc on the web --- when dealing with any strangers --- no matter how legitimate they sound ---- without doing check, verify, double confirm from official sources.
e. I will never be bait by investment ads - that advertised good return from investment and online investment web pages --- even though the web sites look like legitimate banks, financial institutions.
Better to visit the physical banks, offical websites, legitimate agents and never make payment online from the web page.
Make payment separately by visiting the banks, financial institutions or go separately to the official websites to make payment.
2. Individuals should never be attracted and bait by web advertised site that promise good returns, easy money, calls or messages from unsolicited sources, play games that give away user credentials, bank credentials, or answer or respond to any unsolicited calls or messages.
Any calls to ask for money or bank info. ---- is a "Big Alarm Bell" --- highly likely to be scam.
3. Never click on unsolicited URL links, fill up online forms with users credentials or bank credentials, scan QR code, take part in lucky draws or prizes that give away user and bank credentials etc.
4. This will go a long way to prevent individuals from being scam - by reining in on Individual greed, Ignorance, fear, insecurity, love, sexual gratification, easy money, high return.
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[3:22 pm, 31/08/2022] ☸️ Danny ๅฟ:
Lastly, once Android ScamShield is ready, State should broadcast and encourage the public to download and install the apps in the smartphone.
Hopefully cc can organise roadshow to help elderly to install the ScamShield - like vaccination efforts - as many gullible elderly are the target of scammers.
[3:37 pm, 31/08/2022] +Smiley face: 5 years' jail for man behind 'largest e-commerce fraud by an individual' in Singapore
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/5-years-jail-for-man-behind-largest-e-commerce-fraud-by-an-individual-in-singapore
[3:38 pm, 31/08/2022] ☸️ Danny ๅฟ:
Another thing, why CPF insist CPF members to do online bank transfer to do CPF contribution?
Why CPF don't accept cheques - which are more proof from online scam.
[3:41 pm, 31/08/2022] +Rama: Minister OYK I believe is heading a task force to di away with physical cheques by end 2025 since more than five years ago . This is in line with certain Scandinavian/Norwich countries.
[4:00 pm, 31/08/2022] ☸️ Danny ๅฟ:
Many transaction are still carry out using cheques.
Online bank transfer is the largest source of scam fraud today.
[4:02 pm, 31/08/2022] ☸️ Danny ๅฟ:
Banks also are using cashier order - which are scam proof.
[4:05 pm, 31/08/2022] ☸️ Danny ๅฟ:
In fact, if all payments to overseas are make on cashier order, cheques - instead of online bank transfer - then most scams can be stopped on time - and can be recovered.
Convenience of bank transfer - means it facilitates scammers to easily scam big sum of money easily.
[4:05 pm, 31/08/2022] ☸️ Danny ๅฟ:
Especially overseas transaction.
[4:07 pm, 31/08/2022] ☸️ Danny ๅฟ:
Payment should not make it so easy.
E-commerce transaction can make it easy to facilitate business.
Payment should have additional mechanism to prevent online scamming.
[4:12 pm, 31/08/2022] ☸️ Danny ๅฟ:
In fact, State should consider digital cashier order or digital cheques to make payment oversea that requires clearing house to clear.
With this additional checking mechanism - overseas scamming can be greatly stopped or reduced.
Online bank transfer for overseas payment should then be discouraged - and will stop most overseas scamming.
Why make online payment to overseas scammers so easy?
[4:14 pm, 31/08/2022] ☸️ Danny ๅฟ:
Especially for overseas payment it is almost impossible to recover?
[4:22 pm, 31/08/2022] +Mohamed Fawzi Ali: On my way.
[4:26 pm, 31/08/2022] ☸️ Danny ๅฟ:
I believe the overhead cost of clearing cheques dwarf the money scam from overseas.
[4:32 pm, 31/08/2022] ☸️ Danny ๅฟ:
I believe legitimate business, overseas business partners and individuals - won't mind the additional cheque clearing house cost and a few days wait to receive their payment - rather than being scam.
I certainly don't mind the wait for a few days to receive my payment - because of the additional safeguard that my monetary transaction is safe and not being scam by scammers.
[4:35 pm, 31/08/2022] ☸️ Danny ๅฟ:
Previously when there are no internet online bank transfer - hardly heard of people being scam with big money as people used cheques and cashier orders.
Now scam through online bank transfer become big time - running up to few hundred million of dollars.
[4:39 pm, 31/08/2022] ☸️ Danny ๅฟ:
1. Suggest government in ASEAN financial meeting, G20, etc propose all overseas payment through online bank transfer will be automatically converted into digital cheques or digital cashier orders - that international clearing house need to clear before payment - to stem international scam.
[4:41 pm, 31/08/2022] +Rama: Agree
[4:41 pm, 31/08/2022] +Rama: Good point
[5:39 pm, 31/08/2022] +REACH: ๐ข Topic ๐ข
According to statistics released by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) on 29 Aug (Mon), scams continue to be the main driver of crime in the first half of 2022.
A total of 14,139 scam cases were reported from Jan-Jun 2022, up from 7,746 cases in the same period last year. This amounted to $227.8 million that has been lost to the top 10 scams in the first half of 2022.
Job scams, the fifth scam of concern during the same period last year, has risen to become the most prevalent scam type. Phishing scams, e-commerce scams and investment scams also remain of particular concern.
๐ฌ What are your views on Singapore's efforts to fight scams? How do you think we can better protect Singaporeans from falling prey to scams?
Scams are typically diffic…
[5:41 pm, 31/08/2022] +Smiley face: Regarding a joint effort by ASEAN in addressing these transitional crimes, one statistics to consider that is, there are still an estimated 290 million unbanked adults in the ASEAN.
[6:44 pm, 31/08/2022] ☸️ Danny ๅฟ:
Digital cheques - user must sign.
Scammers cannot sign - how to transfer and successfully scam?
So digital cheques are scam-proof.
Online bank transfer is not scam-proof.
[6:45 pm, 31/08/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors,
⏰ We will be closing the chat in 15 minutes ⏰
Thank you very much for being part of our WhatsApp chat and participating actively.
Goodnight!
Megan ๐
[6:59 pm, 31/08/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors,
We will be closing the chat for today.
Thank you very much for being part of our WhatsApp chat and participating actively.
Goodnight!
Megan ๐
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