Blog
Summary : S$661 million lost to scams in 2022, with young adults most likely to fall victim: SPF
The data released by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) reveals a concerning rise in scam cases and amounts cheated in 2022. Here are key points from the information:
- Total Amount Cheated: Scam victims in Singapore were cheated of S$660.7 million in 2022, marking a 4.5% increase from S$632 million in the previous year.
- Age Group Affected: Young adults aged 20 to 39 were the most likely to be victims of scams, comprising 53.5% of all victims. Job scams were the most common type of scam affecting this age group.
- Overall Scam Cases: The total number of scam and cybercrime cases rose by over a quarter to 33,669 in 2022, compared to 26,886 in the previous year. Scams accounted for 94.2% of these cases.
- Top Five Scam Types: The top five scam types were phishing scams, job scams, e-commerce scams, investment scams, and fake friend call scams. These made up over 80% of the top 10 scam types.
- Increase in Cases: The number of cases increased across all top five scam types, with notable increases in phishing scams, job scams, and e-commerce scams.
- Amounts Cheated: The amounts cheated in job scams, e-commerce scams, investment scams, and fake friend call scams rose, indicating an escalation in financial losses for victims.
- E-commerce Scams: The amount lost in e-commerce scams, involving non-delivery of goods and services sold online, more than tripled to at least S$21.3 million.
- Common Platforms: Victims of e-commerce scams encountered scammers on platforms such as Carousell, Facebook, and Shopee. Most cases involved transactions related to electronic goods, rental units, and gaming-related items.
- Investment Scams: Investment scams accounted for the largest proportion of money cheated, comprising 30% of the total or S$198.3 million.
- Anti-Scam Efforts: SPF’s Anti-Scam Command froze over 16,700 bank accounts and recovered about S$146.6 million cheated in scams in 2022. The Anti-Scam Centre worked with telco companies to terminate mobile lines used for scams and engaged with WhatsApp on suspected scam lines.
- Profile of Victims: Young adults were prevalent victims of job scams, seniors aged 60 and above were more susceptible to phishing scams, and overall, job scams, phishing scams, and e-commerce scams were the top three scam types for young adults.
The data underscores the increasing prevalence and financial impact of scams in Singapore, highlighting the need for continued public vigilance and anti-scam efforts to address evolving tactics used by scammers.
Comments are closed.