Police Advisory On Phishing Scams Involving The Impersonation Of SP Group

The Police would like to alert members of the public to a recent uptick of phishing scams involving the impersonation of SP Group. Since 1 October 2024, at least seven cases were reported with total losses amounting to at least $12,000.

In this scam variant, victims would receive electronic mails (e-mails) or text messages purportedly from SP Group. The e-mails or text messages would either inform victims of outstanding utility bills, or that the victims were overcharged for their utility bills. The scammers would disguise a malicious Uniform Resource Locator (URL) link by embedding it behind a legitimate-looking hyperlink text, misleading victims into believing that they are clicking on a safe link to access SP Group's website.

After clicking on the malicious URL link, victims would be redirected to a phishing website impersonating SP Group, where they would key in their personal information, and credit or debit card details for the purpose of paying their utility bills or receiving refunds for their overcharged bills.

Victims would only realise that they had been scammed when they discovered unauthorised transactions. In some cases, the transactions were also made in foreign currencies.

A screenshot of one of the phishing e-mails is shown below. Members of the public are advised to look out for the red flags in unsolicited e-mails requesting for payment or the provision of any personal information or banking details:

1. Time pressure tactics, such as indicating that a link is only valid for a limited time, or that the victim must act within a limited time, thus creating a sense of urgency in the victim to act quickly;
2. Embedded URL links in e-mails that do not match the hyperlink text, or do not appear to belong to the legitimate company;
3. Suspicious looking sender's e-mail address, e.g. domain does not match that of the legitimate company.

Screenshot of an e-mail impersonating SP Group ▼

The Police would like to advise members of the public to adopt the following precautionary measures to avoid falling for scams:

1. ADD - Add the ScamShield app and set security features (e.g. set up transaction limits for internet banking transactions, enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA), Multifactor Authentication for banks and e-wallets, use the Money Lock feature of your bank to "lock up" a portion of your money so that it cannot be transferred out digitally by anyone, further protecting your savings from scams). Do not send money to anyone you do not know or have not met in person before. Do not disclose your personal information, bank/card details and One-Time Passwords (OTPs) to anyone.
   
   
2. CHECK - Check for scam signs with official sources (e.g. call the ScamShield Helpline at 1799, use the ScamShield app or visit www.scamshield.gov.sg), or with someone you trust. Look out for tell-tale signs of a phishing website. If in doubt, always verify the authenticity of information provided with the company directly.
   
   Do not click on dubious URL links provided by anyone you do not know or have not met in person before. Take note of the URL in the address bar of your web browser.
   
   Check for the actual URL link of a hyperlink before clicking on it. Hover your mouse cursor over links in emails to see the actual URL. If using a mobile device, long-press the link to display a window with the actual URL.
   
   Check the sender's e-mail address in the "From" field instead of only referring to the Email Display Name.
   
   
3. TELL - Tell the authorities, family, and friends about scams. Report any fraudulent transactions to your bank immediately.

If you have any information relating to such crimes or are in doubt, please call the Police Hotline at 1800-255-0000, or submit a report online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness. All information will be kept strictly confidential. If you require urgent Police assistance, please dial '999'.

For more information on scams, members of the public can visit www.scamshield.gov.sg or call the ScamShield Helpline at 1799. Fighting scams is a community effort. Together, we can ACT Against Scams to safeguard our community!