Update 2 May 2024: 12 people investigated for suspected involvement in extortion letters with fake obscene photos
Twelve people are being investigated following a police probe into extortion emails involving manipulated photographs (Photos: Singapore Police Force)
Twelve people are being investigated following a police probe into recent reports of extortion letters containing manipulated obscene photos of the victims. The seven men and five women, aged between 18 and 46, had purportedly provided bank accounts and SIM cards used to commit a series of extortion, police said in a news release on Wednesday (May 1).
They were "allegedly involved in either procuring bank accounts for criminal activities or facilitated or assisted in the unauthorised access of Singpass accounts, or purchased and relinquished local SIM cards which were obtained through illegal means", read the news release. "All of which were alleged to have been facilitating the criminal activities of overseas scam syndicates."
Preliminary investigations revealed that the 12 people had purportedly received or were promised commissions. During the two-week operation, at least S$115,000 (US$84,000) in suspected criminal proceeds, some of which were allegedly linked to other scam cases, were recovered, police said, adding that an array of electronic devices were also seized. A 23-year-old woman will be charged in court on Thursday for facilitating unauthorised access to computer material under the Computer Misuse Act.
More than 70 people threatened with fake obscene photos in mail: Police
The letters were sent to recipients’ workplaces and warned of “threatening consequences” if they did not contact the e-mail address provided. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: UNSPLASH
More than 70 people received letters of extortion containing manipulated photographs of themselves in lewd poses in March and April. At least one victim, aged 50, lost $20,000 after transferring the sum to the sender, who threatened to “leak” the pictures online. The letters were sent to recipients’ workplaces and warned of “threatening consequences” if they did not contact the e-mail address provided, the police said on April 19. Once victims made contact, the sender would threaten to release the obscene pictures on social media unless victims paid them.
The photographs and workplace addresses of the blackmailed victims were likely obtained from publicly available sources online, the police said. With advancements in artificial intelligence-powered editing tools, manipulated pictures and videos may increasingly be used for extortion, the police added. The police advised that anyone who receives such faked images should remain calm and ignore orders to initiate contact or transfer money and make a police report immediately. The letter should be put in a separate storage bag and passed to the police.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, on Dec 29, warned the public in a Facebook post not to respond to scam videos on investments or giveaways after a deepfake video of him purportedly promoting an investment surfaced. It is not known who was responsible for the campaign. Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, whose appearance has also been used to promote investment scams, alerted the public on Dec 11 of deepfake posts spreading rumours that the authorities were planning a circuit breaker amid a spike in Covid-19 cases. The likeness of Ms Ho Ching – PM Lee’s wife and former Temasek chief executive – was also manipulated by fraudsters in another investment video that surfaced in December.
Vivian Balakrishnan, Tan Wu Meng among MPs who received extortion letters with fake obscene photos
The police say that they have received over 70 reports from victims who were sent extortion letters containing manipulated obscene photos of themselves
Several Members of Parliament (MPs) are among dozens of people who have received extortion letters with manipulated photos. Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, as well as MPs Tan Wu Meng and Edward Chia posted on Facebook on Saturday (Apr 20) saying that they have received such letters and have lodged police reports. Dr Balakrishnan, who is an MP for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, said in his Facebook post that several other MPs and himself received letters containing a “fake distasteful image accompanied by a threat”.
"This conduct is deplorable and totally contrary to the values and good practices that we are trying to inculcate in our society. We have filed police reports and will take appropriate legal action," he added.
The police said late Friday night that the letters, which were sent by post to the victims' workplaces, contained pictures of the victims' faces superimposed onto obscene photographs of a man and a woman purportedly in an “intimate and compromising position”. There have been over 70 police reports since March about such extortion letters. The letters warned of "threatening consequences" unless they contact the email address provided. If the victims contact the email address, they would be asked to transfer money to prevent "compromising photographs and videos" of themselves from being leaked and exposed on social media, the police said.
Dr Balakrishnan said: "In this age of deep fakes and scams, we must take a strong collective stand against such conduct." Dr Balakrishnan's fellow MP for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, Mr Chia, was among those who were targeted by the "distressing letters". "Inside was a distasteful photo where my face was digitally manipulated onto one of the figures, accompanied by an extortion demand," he wrote on Facebook on Saturday. He said that while it is not uncommon for public figures to face extortion scams, the rise of "deepfakes" makes it "harder to discern reality from fiction".
related: Over 70 reports of extortion letters with manipulated obscene photos of victims since March
3 S'porean politicians make police report after receiving letters with ‘distasteful’ photos, extortion threats
Vivian Balakrishnan, Tan Wu Meng and Edward Chia addressed the issue on social media
Chia, a Member of Parliament (MP) for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, wrote that a “distasteful photo” sent to him showed his face digitally manipulated onto a figure. He added that the increasing popularity of deepfakes makes it harder to discern reality from fiction, even though it is not uncommon for public figures to face extortion scams. He wrote: “With readily available tools, anyone can create deepfake content within minutes.”.
Tan, an MP for Jurong GRC, said a number of MPs received letters with fake photos and threats and that the police are investigating. Tan said in a video addressing the issue that he did not want to speculate on who and where the perpetrators are located. He also did not want to delve into why such acts are happening now at a “very important time in Singapore’s history”.
50-yr-old in S'pore lost S$20,000 after responding to extortionary mail with fake obscene photos
The victim was one of 70 reports the police have received in relation to exortionary letters between March and April 2024
The letters also warned of "threatening consequences" unless the receivers contact the email address provided in the letters. In one of the reports to SPF, a 50-year-old victim lost S$20,000 after responding to the email address and transferring the money to a bank allegedly provided by the other party. The police added that based on current cases, the letters would be sent to the victims' workplaces.
When the victims contact the email address, they would be "threatened to transfer money" so as to prevent compromising photos and videos with their face from being exposed on social media. Based on preliminary investigations, the photographs and workplace addresses, appear to be obtained from publicly available online sources, according to the police. Police investigations are ongoing.
TOP TIPS TO STAYING SAFE ONLINE
It’s no secret that the internet is full of dodgy characters, but being secure online doesn’t mean turning off your computer. Instead, practice mindfulness and review these ten simple online safety tips:
- Don’t share personal info.
- Double-check and verify links.
- Use secure public Wi-Fi.
- Use a VPN.
- Only log into sites that start with https://.
- Be careful who you chat with.
- Turn off your Bluetooth.
- Use antivirus software.
- Use secure passwords.
- Backup your data.
How does ScamShield work?
The app filters incoming calls and text messages. ScamShield compares an incoming call against a list maintained by the Singapore Police Force to determine if the number has been used for illegal purposes and blocks it.
When you receive an incoming SMS from an unknown contact, ScamShield will determine if the SMS is a scam using an on-device algorithm. For iOS, it filters the messages to a junk SMS folder. For Android, a notification is sent to users to notify them that a scam message has been received.
Scam SMSes will be sent to NCPC and SPF for collation. This keeps the app updated and will help protect others from such scam calls and messages.
How can you act against scams? MHA outlines 3 steps you can take
The ACT acronym in the new campaign tagline outlines how members of the public can Add security features, Check for signs, and Tell the authorities and others about scams
What is ACT? ACT outlines three actions individuals should take to safeguard themselves and the community against scams:
- Add security features such as ScamShield and two-factor authentication for personal accounts. Also, set up transaction limits for Internet banking, to limit the amount of funds possibly lost in the event of a scam.
- Check for potential signs of a scam by asking questions, fact-checking requests for personal information and money transfers, and verifying the legitimacy of online listings and reviews. Take the time to pause and check. If it is too good to be true, it is probably untrue, and a scam.
- Tell the authorities and others about scam encounters by reporting to the bank, ScamShield, or by filing a police report. Tell others about ongoing scams and preventive steps they can take.
There were 14,349 scam cases reported in the first half of 2022, with a total of $346.5 million lost, of which $227.8 million was lost to the top 10 types of scams. Both the number of cases and total amount lost were more than half of the 23,931 cases reported and $633.3 million lost in the whole of 2021. The top 10 scams for the first half of 2022 were:
- Job
- Phishing
- E-commerce
- Investment
- Social media impersonation
- Fake friend call
- Loan
- Internet love
- Credit for sex
- Fake gambling platforms
The 'Free Wi-Fi' scam
A total of $346.5 million was lost to scams in the first half of 2022. PHOTO: ST FILE
Keying in your personal details to access free Wi-Fi at a cafe might sound harmless, but it could lead to a lifetime of regret.
Fraudsters can get their hands on such information – through hacking or buying it illegally – and claim to be from government agencies to manipulate people into handing over their life savings, said Assistant Professor Kang Hyunjin from Nanyang Technological University (NTU). She said: “Many victims don’t realise they are being cheated as they underestimate the lengths these swindlers will go to steal from them.”
5 common types of scams:
- E-commerce scam
- Investment scam
- Job scam
- China officials impersonation scam
- Internet love scam
Top 10 Scams in Singapore
New scam? Man pretends to be hit by car in Serangoon
What a dramatic accident — except that there was no collision involved. A man was caught on camera throwing himself out in front of an oncoming car and then falling onto the ground even though the vehicle did not hit him.
Several readers alerted Stomp to the video that has been circulating online since Wednesday (Sept 28). The incident reportedly occurred along Serangoon North Avenue 5 on Monday evening. In the video, the pedestrian is seen flinging himself onto the road in an exaggerated tumble.
The driver who captured the video, however, had honked and stopped in time while still some distance away from the man. She can be heard saying, "What are you doing?" It is unclear what the man replied but he continued to sit on the road. Many netizens called out the incident for being a "100 per cent insurance scam" and made sarcastic comments about the man's acting.
Protect yourself from fraud & scams
Failing to protect your digital privacy can lead to a host of issues, from identity theft to your accounts being hacked
In the age where every Google search inevitably results in customised ads showing up on your screen, and social media platforms suggest friends of friends to follow, it’s understandable why many people give up on digital privacy. After all, why bother when the Internet already knows so much about you (and all the cat videos you watch)?
In reality, we should all be doing our best to maintain our digital privacy. More than just having your embarrassing social media photos shared in public, a lack of digital privacy can have far-reaching consequences.
For example, password leaks and hacks can lead to your accounts being hijacked. Even if your passwords are safe, your identity may not be: If your full name and IC number are retrieved by a malicious actor, they can be used to apply for credit cards or loans, or even commit fraud at medical institutions. In some cases, the victim might not even be aware that their accounts or information have been compromised until they attempt to log in or are notified by the authorities.
Phishing and other SMS scams
New measures for digital banking are to be rolled out for banks in Singapore, after a recent spate of SMS phishing scams affected at least 469 of OCBC's customers
Banks in Singapore will be removing clickable links in emails or SMS messages sent to retail customers and set the threshold for funds transfer notifications to customers by default at S$100 or lower. These are part of several measures to protect account holders from phishing scams. The changes, announced by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS) in a joint statement on Wednesday (Jan 19), will be implemented within the next two weeks.
The new measures came after at least 469 customers were affected by an SMS phishing scam targeting OCBC bank customers, with losses totalling at least S$8.5 million. The fraudsters had sent out fake bank alerts that spoofed the bank's official SMS channel, duping many of them into clicking on web links and giving up their personal account information last month. In the joint statement, MAS and ABS said that these measures will bolster the security of digital banking, given that it will lengthen the time taken for certain online banking transactions and also provide an added layer of security to protect customers’ funds.
Other measures that banks will be putting in place include:
- Delaying activation of a new soft token on a mobile device by at least 12 hours
- Sending notification to a customer's existing mobile number or email registered with the bank whenever there is a request to change a customer’s mobile number or email address
- Introducing a cooling-off period before executing requests to important account changes such as in a customer’s key contact details
- Having dedicated and well-resourced customer assistance teams to deal with feedback on potential fraud cases on a priority basis
- More frequent scam education alerts
Investment Scams
财叔投资到身上长满蜘蛛网了😥 Did Uncle Cai invest in spider webs? Why are they all over him?
#金刚媒体 #kingkongmediaproduction MoneySense
What Is Pig-Butchering Scam 杀猪盘
I want to raise awareness on the Pig-Butchering scam or Sha Zhu Pan in Chinese. So called because victims are patiently worked on every day for 1-3 months before scamming them big time, like fattening up a pig before slaughter. They have extremely well-planned operations and have really been successful in the Chinese-speaking world. Sha Zhu Pan scam has become one of the top Chinese buzzwords in 2019-2020.
Victims are scammed on average $24k, and millions in total have been lost. It's a huge cottage industry that Chinese police has had a hard time stamping out. There are scores of recent news stories, blogs, video clips, and other media online about Sha Zhu Pan victims and scammers. Sadly, almost all are in Chinese. I think the rest of the world has to wise up to this, because now as most Chinese are becoming aware of this Pig-Butchering Scam, the scammers are turning their skills more towards non-Chinese, more so this year.
This first half is somewhat detailed because since everyone is generally aware of romance scams, being vague won't convince someone who is in the thick of it and thinks that his/her online friend is THE exception. Exposing specific details of the Pig-Butchering scam is most convincing to current victims that the "spontaneous" events are actually planned.
Enhancing the Security of Digital Banking
Received a call from 'DBS' from this number 91418609. An automated person telling me that I had made several repeated transactions and to press '1' to hear message again or press '2' to speak to Customer Service.
Do not respond by pressing '1' or '2' coz it is from Hackers which will lead you to their Scam Sites and their Malware will take 'Full Control' over of your Hand Phone and deplete your Bank Account.
Always remember that Banks will not send 'Clickable Links' via your Hand Phones, SMSes, messages or Emails. If you wish to verify with the Bank's Customer Officer, please use the Bank's Official Contact Number or their Online Websites. Banks to remove clickable links in emails, SMS sent to customers as part of new security measures.
Artificial Intelligence Impersonation
Fake advertisements that name Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and use his image to promote crypto scams, among others, have been seen on the Internet recently, Mr Lee said on Facebook on Saturday night.
He said such advertisements, which tend to surface after a major speech or announcement with lots of media coverage, have re-emerged in the past few days.
“If the ad uses my image to sell you a product, or asks you to invest in some scheme, or even uses my voice to tell you to send money, it’s not me,” he added.
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