The Singapore Police Force and Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) would like to remind members of the public to remain vigilant for impersonation scams involving Chinese messaging and payment platforms such as WeChat, UnionPay or Alipay.
Since January 2025, at least 678 cases were reported, with total losses amounting to at least S$17.4 million.
In this scam type, victims would receive unsolicited calls from local mobile numbers such as “8xxx xxxx” or “+65 xxxx xxxx”, impersonating WeChat, UnionPay or Alipay staff. The scammer would typically inform victims that a subscription which they had signed up for (e.g. insurance coverage, WeChat subscription, Alipay subscription) was about to expire. The scammer would then direct the victims to switch to WhatsApp to continue the conversation.
The scammer would inform the victims that the fees would be automatically deducted from their bank accounts linked to the platforms of WeChat, UnionPay, or Alipay unless the victims cancelled the subscriptions. To cancel the subscription, victims would have to verify their identities by providing their personal information.
Victims would also be asked to verify their bank accounts by performing bank transfers to a specified bank account. In some cases, victims would be guided to perform these transfers through WhatsApp’s screen-sharing function. The scammers would assure victims that their monies would be refunded upon successful cancellation of the subscriptions.
In some of the cases, the scammer would attempt to bolster their credibility or pressure the victims through:
- Sending victims fake documents of the alleged subscriptions with the victims’ personal information printed on them through WhatsApp.
- Redirecting victims to a second scammer impersonating an MAS officer who would inform victims that their bank accounts had been implicated in money laundering activities and they would have to transfer monies to a specified bank account for the purpose of assisting in investigations. In some cases, victims were engaged in a video call with the scammer impersonating as a MAS officer in blue uniform.
- Sending victims fake documents of a court order or arrest warrant from MAS with the victims’ details through WhatsApp.
Victims would only realise that they had been scammed when the scammers became uncontactable, or when they did not receive the promised refunds.
Singapore Government officials will never ask members of the public to do the following over the phone:
- Ask you to transfer money;
- Ask you to disclose banking details;
- Ask you to install mobile apps from unofficial app stores
- Transfer your call directly to Police, except when you call 995 for life-threatening emergencies.
