SINGAPORE - The Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) recognised to 42 people from 14 organisations on Wednesday (Jan 11) for helping the police prevent crime.

The recipients had helped prevent victims from falling prey to scams involving a total of more than a million dollars last year.

They came from organisations such as DBS, Maybank, UOB and remittance firm Hanshan Money Express.

They each received a certificate of appreciation at the Police Cantonment Complex.

In a press release, the police said several scams were foiled through public intervention last year.

They added: "A majority of these cases were related to the DHL phone impersonation scams where members of the public received calls from persons claiming to be customs officers, police officers or government officials from China and were instructed to remit monies to China."

The public can visit Scamalert.sg to find out more about the latest scams.

They can also share their personal experiences on the website so that others will know what to do when faced with similar situations.

People can also call the National Crime Prevention Council's anti-scam helpline at 1800-722-6688 to seek advice of scams.

At Wednesday's (Jan 11) award ceremony, CAD director David Chew said scams tactics are ever-changing as criminals use a variety of tactics to deceive their victims.

"However, if all of us stay vigilant and play an active role to help prevent scams, Singapore will be a safer home for everyone," he added.