More than S$1 million (RM3.18 million) is believed to have been lost to a fake Johor-Singapore housing subsidy scheme since September, with at least 21 cases reported to Singaporean authorities.
Singapore police said advertisements for the so-called scheme falsely claim it is a joint initiative between the Singapore and Johor governments to provide subsidised housing.
The police clarified that this housing subsidy programme does not exist, reported the Straits Times.
Victims reported seeing advertisements for the “JBSG Housing Subsidy Program” or “Free Homes Across the Causeway” on online platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp.
Some of the advertisements included documents with forged signatures purportedly from the prime ministers of Singapore and Malaysia, said the police.
The advertisements contained links directing victims to WhatsApp to communicate with the scammers.
Victims were then asked to provide personal information, including their IC numbers, home addresses, and email addresses, through these suspicious links.
In some cases, victims were asked to transfer money online for supposed “legal and stamp duties” or hand cash to strangers.
Singaporean police urged the public not to share personal information or give money to people whose identities cannot be verified.
Nearly S$500 million (RM1.6 billion) was lost to scams in Singapore in the first half of this year, with almost 20,000 cases reported during the period.
Scammers tricked victims into transferring money without directly accessing their accounts in roughly 80% of these cases.
