Synopsis: This is a special-edition podcast series by The Straits Times to raise greater public awareness of the modern scourge of scams in Singapore and globally.
In Singapore, nearly $1 billion has been lost by scam victims since 2016. Mutating and spreading, different types of scams have infiltrated every aspect of our lives, from romance to work. The police are cracking down on offenders. What can you do to protect yourself?
In the series’ eighth episode, ST’s deputy news editor Andre Yeo, crime correspondent David Sun and journalist Jessie Lim speak with Mr Brian Bruce, chief of operations at Global Anti Scam Organization (Gaso), who is in charge of its investigations team.
During the episode, Mr Bruce warned about pig butchering scams which combines tactics used in love and investment scams.
Mr Bruce also mentioned how Gaso - formed in June 2021 - works with government agencies in South-east Asia to secure the release of human trafficking victims who were duped into working for scam syndicates in Myanmar and Cambodia.
Highlights (click/tap above):
0:40 What the Global Anti Scam Organization (Gaso) does to tackle scams worldwide
3:11 How Mr Bruce lost US$200,000 in a cryptocurrency investment scam in September 2021
9:03 How the pig butchering scam works and its impact on victims
17:57 Scam syndicates in South-east Asia and their recruitment tactics
20:05 How scam victims can recover psychologically from a scam
22:26 How Gaso works with US and South-east Asian law enforcement agencies to secure the release of those lured into working for scam syndicates
Produced by: Andre Yeo (andrey@sph.com.sg), Jessie Lim (ljessie@sph.com.sg), David Sun (davidsun@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, Teo Tong Kai and Eden Soh
Edited by: Teo Tong Kai
Read ST’s Stop Scams articles: https://str.sg/wWt9
Anti-Scam Hotline: 1800-722-6688 (9am - 5pm); https://www.scamalert.sg/
National Care Hotline: 1800-202-6868 (8am - 12am); https://ccs.org.sg/nch/
Follow Stop Scams podcast series here:
Channel: https://str.sg/wuZB
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wu3e
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Websites: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg
Andre Yeo’s articles: https://str.sg/wWtC
David Sun’s articles: https://str.sg/wWty
Jessie Lim’s articles: https://str.sg/wWtF
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Discover ST’s special edition podcasts:
Singapore’s War On Covid: https://str.sg/wuJa
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: https://str.sg/wuZ2
Stop Scams: https://str.sg/wuZB
Invisible Asia: https://str.sg/wuZn
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Discover more ST podcast series:
Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7
Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf
Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN
In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt
Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m
SG Extra: https://str.sg/wukR
#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad
ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE
Bookmark This!: https://str.sg/JWas
Lunch With Sumiko: https://str.sg/J6hQ
Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
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