Police warn of new phishing scam involving e-mail about purported traffic offence

Victims receive an e-mail saying they have committed a traffic offence, and may be asked to provide personal details or make a payment. ST PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: KUA CHEE SIONG

SINGAPORE - A new phishing scam, where victims receive an e-mail from the "Division of Transportation" saying that they have committed a traffic offence, has surfaced, the police said.

Victims may be asked to provide personal details or make a payment after clicking a link to a website in the e-mail.

For traffic offences committed in Singapore, the owner of the vehicle involved will first be asked to furnish the driver's particulars before a notice of traffic offence is issued to the offending driver.

The Traffic Police will not issue a digital notice.

To prevent crimes, members of the public are advised to avoid clicking on links to websites in unsolicited e-mails and text messages.

They should always verify the authenticity of the information with the official website and never disclose personal details, Internet banking details or one-time passwords to anyone.

The public should report any fraudulent credit or debit card charges to their bank and cancel their card immediately.

If the public has any information relating to such crimes, they can contact the police hotline on 1800-255-0000, or submit it online.

For more information on scams, people can visit the Scam Alert website or call the Anti-Scam Hotline on 1800-722-6688.

An image of an e-mail in the scam. PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE

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