SINGAPORE: A new sort of tech support scam has emerged, involving the impersonation of fintech firm PayPal, stated the police on May 18.
Since January, not less than 4 victims have fallen prey to the scam, with one sufferer dropping about S$33,000 (RM104,749).
In this variant, victims obtain emails containing PayPal invoices which record particulars of unauthorised transactions for items or providers from third-party distributors.
In the e-mail, a faux helpline is supplied, which victims imagine they will name to dispute the transaction and request for a refund.
Upon calling the quantity, victims are transferred to a scammer impersonating an agent from the third-party vendor, who would declare to have the ability to assist them.
The scammer will then instruct the victims to obtain a software program on their pc to facilitate the cancellation of the transaction.
Said the police: “Victims would not realise that the software would enable the scammers to remotely control the victims’ computers.”
Once the software program is put in, scammers ask victims to log into their on-line financial institution accounts.
After the victims log into their financial institution accounts, scammers can take over their computer systems and switch funds out of victims’ financial institution accounts with out their consent.
In April, the police stated that not less than 154 victims misplaced S$7.1mil (RM22.53mil) to tech support scams since January this yr.
Other strategies used in tech support scams contain scammers claiming to be staff of Internet service suppliers and providing to repair WiFi community points in order to achieve entry to victims’ financial institution accounts remotely.
The police stated: “If any member of the public believes they have fallen prey to the scam, they should immediately turn off their computer to halt further activities.
“Do not panic and do not follow instructions to install applications, type commands into your computer or log into your online banking accounts.”
Those who’re not sure whether or not the bill they obtain from “PayPal” is actual, can ahead the e-mail to [email protected], stated the police.
The police added that the fintech firm is taking motion towards those that create fraudulent invoices and that prospects won’t be charged for any merchandise they didn’t purchase.
Members of the general public may lodge a police report and inform the financial institution to cease additional unauthorised entry to their financial institution accounts. – The Straits Times (Singapore)/Asia News Network
