SINGAPORE - Recent SMS text messages with a go.gov.sg link sent to national servicemen (NSmen) regarding redeemable credits for service-linked rewards are legitimate, the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) clarified on Monday (Nov 11).
The ministry said that it had received queries from NSmen over the matter.
Several readers also wrote in to The Straits Times asking if the text messages were authentic. They received the messages through WhatsApp, which said they could use a free $100 voucher on online shopping and food delivery sites, including Lazada, Redmart, Deliveroo and Zalora.
Mindef also clarified in a Facebook post on Saturday that while the links were legitimate, only NSmen who received the message via SMS were eligible to log in and redeem credits under the service-linked rewards - the National Service Excellence Award and Celebratory Gifts for NSmen.
Those who receive similar messages with links circulated through WhatsApp or other social media sites will not be able to redeem the credits.
"If you receive the SMS containing the FormSG link from Mindef, please do not forward the message to others because those who are ineligible will not be able to redeem the National Service Excellence Award or Celebratory Gifts for NSmen even if the forms are submitted," Mindef said.
Since Sept 1, redemption services for such rewards were transferred to a government platform called FormSG, which includes the URL go.gov.sg
Eligible NSmen receive an SMS with a link that directs them to log in with their SingPass details when they access the form to redeem their credits.
There have been data privacy issues with redemption of the credits in the past.
Last year, more than 400 men from the Singapore Armed Forces and Home Team had redeemed credits for the National Service Excellence Award and Celebratory Gifts for Operationally Ready National Servicemen.
But their personal contact details were sent to one another by mistake after a government-appointed vendor made a technical error.
Mindef and the Ministry of Home Affairs said then that had they put in place measures to prevent a recurrence of the incident.
