Collaborative Effort Saves SGD $250,000 in Impersonation Scam Targeting Government Officials

On December 19, 2023, the Anti-Scam Center ASC collaborated with Great Eastern and OCBC Bank to avert losses exceeding SGD $250,000 in an impersonation scam targeting government officials.

In this incident, a victim aged 67 received a phone call on December 2, 2023 from the first imposter posing as a Chinese government official. This individual alleged that funds in her name were suspiciously found in a bank account in China and accused her of committing crimes. The fraudster then connected the victim to another scammer who impersonated a second Chinese government officer on December 13, 2023.

The second imposter instructed the victim to open a new UOB bank account under her name purportedly for ding investigations. The victim was told to provide internet banking credentials and withdraw funds from all other accounts as well as liquidate insurance policies to deposit into this UOB account.

On December 18, at Great Eastern's Jurong East branch, the customer service officer noticed suspicious activity when the victim attempted to surrer four of her insurance policies. The sum was inted for buying a house and renovation costs but seemed odd in context. The officer suspected fraud immediately.

The victim then visited OCBC Bank to transfer money into the UOB account following instructions from both imposters, but upon realizing it might be fraudulent transactions she alerted authorities and cancelled the transfers.

The team at Great Eastern was informed about these fraudulent activities by the customer service staff on site. They acted swiftly and helped secure the victim's funds before any illegal transaction could occur.

The incident underscores the importance of staying vigilant agnst impersonation scams, especially in financial matters involving government officials.

Great Eastern's Mr Toh Ming Ann sd: We comm our front-line team for their quick response and proactive approach to identify suspicious activities. It demonstrates how closely our service officers are paying attention to customer transactions.

The Anti-Scam Center ASC also played a crucial role with the support of other agencies including the police.

Mr Benedict Ng, an Assistant Senior Investigation Officer at the ASC sd: We comm Great Eastern for their swift action and the victim's awareness which prevented any financial loss.

Mr Poh Leong Hui from OCBC Bank highlighted the importance of educating customers on how to identify potential frauds in real-time situations. At OCBC, we always emphasize the need for our clients to be vigilant agnst scams and seek immediate advice if they feel uncomfortable about transactions, he sd.

To protect yourself:

1 Install and regularly update security applications on your devices including Scam Alert and ensure that your online banking features like Two-Factor Authentication 2FA are activated.

2 Regularly check for scam alerts through official sources such as the Anti-Scam Helpline at 1800-722-6688 or visit www.scamalert.sg.

3 Report any suspicious activities to the authorities, family and fris. Do not act impulsively based on the caller's instructions.

4 Be wary of unsolicited calls asking for personal information and always verify the source before sharing sensitive detls.

For further assistance on scams, please visit www.scamalert.sg or contact the Anti-Scam Helpline at 1800-722-6688. that protecting agnst fraud is a collective effort and we are all part of this fight to keep our community safe.

The Anti-Scam Center's commitment towards prevention, early detection and swift action in scams highlights the importance of collaboration between public institutions and private entities like Great Eastern and OCBC Bank for the betterment of society.
This article is reproduced from: https://www.police.gov.sg/media-room/news/20240109_swift_intervention_by_great_eastern_ocbc_and_anti_scam_centre

Please indicate when reprinting from: https://www.58ep.com/Buddhist_Master/Anti_Scam_Center_Great_Eastern_OCB.html