Beware of scammers, police urge users of digital payment provider BigPay
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Yeo Shu Hui
Users of digital payment services provider BigPay have been urged to keep a lookout for scammers targeting them.
In a statement yesterday, the police said the scammers may impersonate BigPay staff over phone calls to convince would-be victims to provide their personal details.
These unsolicited calls are made from unknown numbers via WhatsApp. The users would then be told they are being assisted in a new card application or informed of issues with their BigPay accounts.
The scammers seek users' BigPay account details and one-time passwords or bank account details, the police said.
They may do this by getting the BigPay user to fill an online form.
Police said the caller may share a fake BigPay employee identification document to show that he works for the services provider.
Victims may realise they have been scammed only when they discover unauthorised transactions made in their BigPay accounts or bank accounts.
In mid-year crime statistics released on Monday, the police said there was a 16 per cent increase in the number of reported scam cases between January and June this year, compared with the same period last year.
The total amount lost in the top 10 scam types increased to $168 million in the first half of this year, from $63.5 million in the same period last year.
The police advised members of the public to always verify the authenticity of such calls with the official website or sources, such as through the BigPay in-app customer service chat function.
They should never provide anyone with personal information such as their bank account, Singpass and BigPay account login details or one-time passwords, the police added.
If they notice a fraudulent transaction involving their e-payment or bank accounts, they should report it to the respective e-payment service provider or bank immediately.
Anyone with information on scams may call the police hotline on 1800-255-0000 or visit the I-Witness website to submit information. Those who require urgent police assistance should call 999.