What is an Impersonation Scam ?
There are several variations of this scam. In many variations of this scam, it involves a phone call from someone purporting to be a government official (e.g. a police officer, immigration officer or court official) or staff from a bank or telecommunication service provider.
China Officials Impersonation Scam
In this scam, the caller might claim to be a government official, an employee or representative of a Chinese bank or courier company. The caller might claim that your identity was used to send parcels containing fake passports or weapons, or to apply for overseas credit cards. They then refer you to another caller claiming to be a Chinese official, who will ask — or even threaten — you to give them personal information such as your passport or bank account number, internet banking credentials or One-Time Password (OTP).
- Calls or messages from courier companies, telcos or government agencies asking you for your personal particulars, bank account details, or OTPs
- Scare tactics that link you to crimes such as pending court cases, your mobile number being used in a crime, that your Wi-Fi has been compromised, or urgent requests that require your immediate attention
- Threatening to escalate matters to the police if you do not cooperate
- Numbers calling from a ‘+’ number, even if it’s ‘+65’ it does not mean it’s from Singapore
- Beware of incoming calls with the "+" prefix. The ‘+’ sign prefix will be displayed on phone screens for all international incoming calls. Exercise extra caution when picking up such phone calls, especially if you are not expecting any overseas calls.
- Never disclose personal particulars, banking and credit card details and OTPs to anyone, especially over unsolicited phone calls
- Hang up immediately if the caller cannot identify himself properly
- Always verify the authenticity of the information with the official website or sources
- No government agencies will ask you for your personal details or bank transfers over the phone or through automated voice machines
- Do not click on URL links provided in unsolicited emails and text messages
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