The Police would like to alert members of the public to a persistent trend observed in relation to a phishing scam variant. Scammers would pose as buyers on Carousell and victims would be instructed to complete the transaction on CarouPay after receiving emails with phishing URL links from scammers purportedly impersonating Carousell. Since March 2022, there have been at least 69 victims, with losses amounting to at least $47,000.

Scammers would typically approach victims on Carousell and express interest in purchasing items that the victims are selling. After agreeing to the sale of the item, the scammer would request to make payment via CarouPay to the victim’s PayNow account. Thereafter, the victims would receive an email purportedly sent from Carousell, indicating that payment was made. They would be required to access their bank accounts via a phishing link or PayNow QR code provided within the email in order to receive the payment. Upon clicking on these links or scanning the QR codes, victims would be redirected to fraudulent websites impersonating bank websites, where the victims would be tricked into providing their banking details and One-Time Passwords (OTP) in order to receive payments. Victims would only realise that they have been scammed when they discover unauthorised transactions made to their bank accounts.

Members of the public are advised to note and follow these crime prevention measures:

a. Carousell Protection (previously known as CarouPay) will never require you to confirm payment via email or require you to reveal any online banking login credentials through third party websites;

b. Always verify the buyer’s profile on online marketplaces by checking the account's verification status, creation date, reviews and ratings;

c. Do not click on links provided in unsolicited emails and text messages;

d. If in doubt, always verify the authenticity of the information with the e-commerce platform or with the banks directly,

e. Never disclose your personal or Internet banking details and OTP to anyone; and

f. Report any fraudulent transactions to your bank immediately.

For more information on scams, members of the public can visit www.scamalert.sg or call the Anti-Scam Hotline at 1800-722-6688. Anyone with information on such scams may call the Police Hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness. All information will be kept strictly confidential. If you require urgent Police assistance, please dial ‘999’.

Source: Singapore Police Force