ST Stop Scams webinar: Scam victims include lawyers, professors, senior civil servants

(From left) ST correspondent Hairianto Diman with ST Stop Scams webinar panellists: Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Police Aileen Yap, MHA chief psychologist Majeed Khader and Cyber Youth Academy CEO Xavier Low.

ST PHOTO: BENJAMIN SEETOR

Jessie Lim

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SINGAPORE - Anyone can fall victim to a scam, regardless of how well-educated or digitally savvy they are.

Recalling how a lawyer almost lost the whole sum of $521,000 in a loan scam, Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Police Aileen Yap, assistant director of the Singapore Police Force's Anti-Scam Command, noted that senior civil servants and professors have also become scam victims.

In the case of the lawyer, he had searched the Ministry of Law's website, where after doing due diligence, he identified a licensed moneylender he wanted to borrow $3 million from.

While the licensed moneylender was real, it did not have a website, so instead, the lawyer found himself taking a loan from a scammer who was impersonating the firm, said DAC Yap.

She added: "The scammer... told him you have to pay administrative fees, service charges and deposits. And he paid, $521,000, but did not get his loan."

Fortunately, the lawyer realised his mistake in time and contacted the Anti-Scam Centre, which helped him recover $426,000.

Dr Majeed Khader, chief psychologist at the Ministry of Home Affairs, said: "Very clever people, well-educated people can fall prey as well. Sometimes, it's that moment of impulsivity so that's why this message of stop and think, look for the signs (of a scam) is very important."

Even young people, who have grown up accustomed to technology, have not avoided the scourge of scams.

Said Mr Xavier Low, chief executive of the Cyber Youth Academy: " It's a misconception... Youths, we use the Internet more than any other age group. When we grow up with technology, there is a certain amount of complacency."

He added that scammers have become more sophisticated, citing how phishing messages appear in the same thread as legitimate ones from the company.

Said Mr Low: "There are certain things that you realise, such as how the link is shortened, there are grammatical errors. But scammers get smarter everyday. One day, maybe they will fix their grammar. It will become harder and harder to spot these (scams)."

Fear of being judged prevents victims from reporting scams

Scammers want people to feel that they are in a position where they are helpless, detached and isolated from the rest of the society, said Mr Low.

He added: "In Asian societies, we have so much fear of being judged when we get scammed. To fight scams, we have to address things such as how victims can anonymously seek help and confide with someone."

Cyber Youth Academy is a division of Cyber Youth Singapore, a non-profit organisation that aims to help Singaporeans adopt technology safely.

Dr Majeed said many victims would feel embarrassed and reluctant to share what they have encountered.

"Because of this Asian concept of face, victims feel ashamed and it is hard for them to talk about their loss," he said.

He added: "There are a lot of helplines out there. The question is how you and I approach another person. It is important not to make a judgment, but ask more open-ended questions. Sometimes, it can be embarrassing to approach these external resources, so it might be easier to talk within the family."

The need for social support was highlighted on Wednesday when DAC Yap noted how scam victims have attempted suicide in the aftermath of losing their life savings.

She said: "Besides monetary impacts, the shame and embarrassment that victims experience also affect them. Hence, we always advocate that if you have a problem, speak to your family members, friends and loved ones."