International calls to have plus sign prefix to combat scam calls: Janil Puthucheary
All incoming international calls will be prefixed with a plus sign (+) beginning April as part of efforts to protect members of the public from scam calls, said Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information Janil Puthucheary in Parliament on Tuesday (March 3).
From April 15, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) will require all telecommunication companies (telcos) in Singapore to introduce this measure to help combat such spoof calls from overseas.
Domestic calls will not display such a prefix.
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Can I tell if a call is fake before I pick up?
Be on your guard when the call is from an unknown number or is prefixed with a plus (+) sign, as the call is likely coming from overseas.
Watch out in particular for calls that come with a +65 prefix, which looks like Singapore's country code, but are actually overseas calls. Domestic calls will not display the + prefix.
Signs that can help you figure out if a call, message or e-mail is genuine:
- Can I tell if a call is fake before I pick up?
- Can I tell if a call is fake based on what the caller says?
- What about calls where I am told I have a problem that needs fixing?
- Can I tell if an e-mail is fake even if it appears to be from a legitimate source?
Top 10 Scams in Singapore
Scams have been increasing of late. Here’s how to stay safe
Ever received emails from “royals” seeking help to transfer money out of their country in exchange for a percentage of the loot? Or phone calls informing that you’ve won a seven-figure overseas lottery and the only way to receive the payout is by providing your banking details? These are just some examples of classic scams that have been around since mobile technology became a part of our everyday life.
Scammers, though, have been evolving in recent years, becoming sophisticated cons who not only target individuals but businesses and organisations as well. The first half of 2020 saw the number of scams in Singapore jump by 140 per cent compared to 2019. More troublingly, a survey by the Home Team Behavioural Sciences Centre found that 45 per cent of scam victims reported being scammed more than once. According to the Singapore Police Force, last year saw a whopping $201 million lost to scammers, much of it online as Singaporeans turned to websites and apps to carry out activities like banking and buying groceries due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Scammers have also begun to target people working from home through robocalls, as well as seniors who are unfamiliar with the Internet.
The rising number of scam victims is testament to the increasing psychological sophistication of scammers’ tactics in crafting false proof, impersonating the victim’s close friends and using the victim’s shame about possibly falling for a scam to continue extracting money from them. Romance scammers are especially adept at identifying victims who are lonely, vulnerable and easily manipulated — a group that is increasing in size worldwide, due to COVID-19’s impact on social lives. Ensure your safety and that of others by familiarising yourself with common methods of fraud. Here are the top 10 scams in Singapore (in no particular order):
- E-COMMERCE
- SOCIAL MEDIA IMPERSONATION
- INTERNET LOVE
- CREDIT-FOR-SEX
- CHINESE OFFICIALS IMPERSONATION
- TECH SUPPORT
- BANKING-RELATED PHISHING
- NON-BANKING-RELATED PHISHING
- LOANS
- INVESTMENT
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