$156k lost to EZ-Link and SimplyGo phishing scams since March 1
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The police urged people to adopt precautionary measures to avoid falling for scams.
ST PHOTO: TARYN NG
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SINGAPORE – Victims have lost at least $156,000 to phishing scams involving fake EZ-Link or SimplyGo websites since March 1.
At least 97 such cases had been reported within the month, the police said on March 28.
Victims encountered advertisements or posts on Facebook and Instagram masquerading as the two transport fare payment systems, which offered enticing promotions such as unlimited travel for $3.
Clicking on links in the advertisements or posts, victims were redirected to a phishing website with EZ-Link or SimplyGo logos to buy the ez-link cards, which required their credit or debit card details and one-time passwords.
In some cases, victims were initially redirected to participate in online games or questionnaires to qualify for the fake promotion.
After successfully winning a “gift box” with a “free ez-link” card, the website prompted them to key in their credit or debit card details to pay for the $3 unlimited travel promotion.
The victims realised they had been scammed after discovering unauthorised transactions using their bank accounts, with some cases involving transactions in foreign currencies.
The police said all promotions for ez-link cards are conducted only on the SimplyGo website, or on SimplyGo and EZ-Link’s social media pages.
SimplyGo does not offer “$3 for unlimited travel” deals, and those looking for official information on the purchase of ez-link cards can visit the SimplyGo website
“Be cautious of attractive deals that seem too good to be true. If in doubt, always verify the authenticity of information provided with SimplyGo directly via their official website or hotline at 1800-2255-663,” the police added.
People should also inform their banks about any fraudulent transactions immediately and report any suspicious advertisements to the company or platform.
The police also urged people to adopt precautionary measures to avoid falling for scams.
These include adding the ScamShield app and setting up security features, such as stipulating transaction limits for internet banking, enabling two-factor authentication and using their bank’s Money Lock feature to “lock up” a portion of money that cannot be transferred out digitally by anyone.
People should also check with official sources such as the ScamShield helpline on 1799 if they encounter a suspected scam, and avoid clicking on dubious links provided in social media advertisements.
