SINGAPORE – Well-known comedian Hossan Leong has teamed up with the Singapore Police Force to record a video that aims to raise awareness of a phone scam that has caused victims to lose more than $4 million since March this year.
The three-minute video, which was uploaded on the SPF’s Facebook page on Sunday (July 3) morning, has garnered 12,000 views and close to 500 shares.
Playing both victim and scammer in the video, the 46-year-old educates viewers with a light-hearted take on the modus operandi of the scammer.
The SPF said in its post that Mr Leong had also received scam calls. It added that the comedian had stepped forward to help make the video on his own accord, so as to spread the awareness on scams and help stop more people from falling prey to them.
In most cases, the scammers impersonate overseas officials who tell potential victims over the phone that parcels containing illegal items had been shipped in their names.
Recent cases saw the callers pose as police officers or staff from courier companies such as SingPost and DHL.
Victims who fall for it are then told they must remit money to overseas bank accounts as a fine or a bribe.
The police said last month more than 50 reports have been made since March from people who were duped, as well as hundreds of alerts from concerned members of the public.
www.scamalert.sg
More than $4 million have been lost by victims of the scam, which is believed to have originated in China.
Mr Leong ends the video by emphasising the three basic measures the public should take if they receive such calls:
- Ignore such calls
- Do not provide any personal particulars, bank account information and credit card details
- Do not transfer any money to the caller, and report the matter to the police immediately
This article was first published on July 4, 2016.
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