SINGAPORE: In the fight against increasingly sophisticated scams, the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) and the Singapore Police Force (SPF) launched a new anti-scam helpline on Sunday (Nov 20) to give advice to the public on such ploys, should they suspect that they have fallen for one.

The anti-scam hotline number, manned by the NCPC, is 1800 722 6688. It operates from Monday to Friday, from 9am to 5pm.

They have also launched a new anti-scam television commercial – the fourth to date – to raise greater awareness of such scams. Starring local celebrity Li Nanxing, it highlights how impersonation scams, Internet love scams and credit-for-sex scams are carried out in Singapore.

It shares three simple points with viewers when it comes to dealing with such scams – not to panic, not to believe the scammers and not to give in to their demands.

The police said the move is part of outreach efforts to raise the public’s awareness of such scams, which according to latest figures still remain high. For example, reported scams involving the impersonation of China officials stands at 249 in the three months from July to September – higher than the 179 cases reported for six months between January and June this year.

NCPC vice-chairman Gerald Singham said Singapore residents tend to be trusting, which lends itself to being exploited by scammers.

“Indeed it is a battle and a challenge that we have on our hands, but even more so we’ve got to try to create education and awareness in our residents – we cannot give up. And indeed it is worrying – we have something like about 22 victims reporting scams a day, losing about S$120,000 a day. That’s a lot, and a dollar too many,” said Mr Singham.

“We cannot stop, we cannot retreat – we need to create that awareness and education, and we’re hopeful and encouraged that eventually these education protocols will come up, and then through word-of-mouth through friends, through families and even through the Internet where education can also take place, to guard against such unscrupulous scammers.”

Among all reported scam cases between January and September this year, police data showed that those involving the impersonation of China officials have netted the most money, cheating a total S$21 million from 428 victims. Meanwhile, e-commerce or online purchase scams were the most prevalent, affecting 1,491 victims and netting a total of S$1 million.

PROFILE OF SCAM VICTIMS

According to the police, the majority of victims of impersonation scams involving China officials were aged between 20 and 49 years old, and mostly female. All were Chinese.

As for Internet love scams, the majority were aged between 30 and 59 years old, and mostly Chinese women. In more than half of the cases, the criminals used Facebook as the initial approach, the police said, adding that other popular platforms include Tinder and Skout.

Responding to queries from Channel NewsAsia, a police spokesman said that people of all ages and occupations can be scammed, and that “the public perception that victims of impersonation scams are less literate pioneer generation Singaporeans is not accurate”. In fact, one of the biggest scam cases this year involved a 62-year-old lecturer who lost S$600,000 to an impersonation scam.

“One key reason why people fall for scams is the tactics used by scammers. The tactics used are commonly seen in mass marketing or sales contexts and are known to be effective in influencing consumer behaviour,” said Mr Jeffery Chin, senior psychologist at the Home Team Behavioural Sciences Centre, Ministry of Home Affairs.

“Given that scammers use tactics that exploit errors in decision making and use persuasion tactics known to be effective in influencing people, it is possible that everyone is vulnerable to scams.”

In the context of impersonation scams, for example, Mr Chin said some of the tactics include targeting basic needs and desires, such as fear or a desire to be liked; playing on people’s trust in authority figures; and emphasising the urgency of the situation and giving their targets limited time to consider.

The TV commercial and anti-scam hotline were both launched on Sunday at the annual Festive Season Crime Prevention Campaign at Rivervale Plaza. Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean was present at the event.

Cosplayers Baozi and Hana are so beautiful, they could almost be mistaken for women.

The androgynous-looking men, aged 24 and 22 respectively, are blessed with good genes, a talent for costuming and excellent make-up skills.

Hana especially is known for playing females when the duo cosplay together, sporting long, flowing wigs, false eyelashes and high heels.

“When I get mistaken for a girl when cosplaying female characters, I feel it is a success,” said Hana from China via an e-mail interview with The New Paper.

“It is actually very troublesome for guys to cosplay female characters as the body proportions, make-up, facial expressions and poses are hard to control.

ENJOY

“But I enjoy it as I really like some of these female anime characters.”

The China natives, who declined to reveal their real names, will be in town for Anime Festival Asia (AFA) 2016 at Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre from Friday to Saturday.

With more than 232,000 Facebook followers and around 148,000 followers each on Instagram, Baozi and Hana are among the top cosplay celebrities in China.

They have published photo books and postcards, have fan clubs in the Philippines, Indonesia and Brazil, and started their own make-up company, HuaZhiXiao, in October.

Their range of cosmetics, sold on Chinese online marketplace Taobao, includes false eyelashes, eyeshadow kits and a make-up brush set.

“Cosplay is half a hobby and half a job because our work now is closely related to cosplay. We are really happy to have jobs we are passionate about,” said Hana.

Baozi joked that his nickname, which means bun in Mandarin, came about “because I was a bit chubby when I started cosplaying, and my face looked like a bun”.

Hana’s handle, meaning “flower” in Japanese, is from Japanese romance film Hana And Alice.

The duo met at a Chinese cosplay event in 2011 and have been cosplaying together for five years.

“Hana is better at make-up and editing pictures, while I am good at making props and accessories. So the two of us together can complete any kind of cosplay,” said Baozi.

Said Hana: “When we started cosplaying, we would slowly teach ourselves how to do make-up by watching online tutorials.

“We would analyse how to replicate different looks on our faces, and which kind of cosmetics and make-up styles suited us.”

Baozi and Hana have a special affinity for Singapore, as they both studied here in 2014.

Though they did not wish to reveal which schools they attended, Baozi holds a Master in Business Administration, while Hana studied fashion design.

The pair returned to China before Hana’s graduation to start their company after receiving support from a China investor.

“I hope I’ll have a chance to return to Singapore and finish the course in the future,” said Hana.

SECOND HOME

“We stayed in Singapore for over two years. We really like it. It is like our second home.”

They may be stars in the cosplay world, but the duo confessed they are sometimes overwhelmed by their support from fans here.

Baozi said: “When we first came to Singapore, we didn’t know if anyone would recognise us, but everyone supported us so enthusiastically.”

Hana joked: “Because Singapore is very small, sometimes we would encounter our fans, but because we are very shy, we would run away.”

He said their fan base is mostly female, but they are sometimes “pleasantly surprised” to see male fans.

As public figures, they are used to brickbats online but have adopted a mature attitude towards haters.

Said Hana: “Some unfriendly people leave comments online that bother us. But there is no point wasting time and energy on people who don’t like you, while ignoring the friends who have always supported you.”

Indeed, Baozi and Hana are looking forward to meeting their local fans at AFA, which Baozi called “their No. 1 favourite event”.

“This is our fourth time attending AFA Singapore, and we are happy and excited to meet everyone again.”

For 25 years, Filipino domestic helper Felicidad Muna Mico, 57, has cared for Madam Dora Sern and her three children.

But last month, their roles were reversed.

On Oct 28, Madam Mico suffered a sudden haemorrhagic stroke.

It was the start of a harrowing period for the Singaporean family as they watched their beloved “Felice” hooked to various tubes at Changi General Hospital’s (CGH) intensive care unit (ICU) for a week.

Then came another shock – Madam Mico’s hospital bills will cost an estimated $55,000.

Madam Sern, 57, shared her helper’s plight on crowd-funding site GiveAsia last Wednesday.

So far, she has raised more than $8,000.

The masseuse hopes to raise $86,600. That will also cover the cost of sending Madam Mico home by air, rehabilitation care in the Philippines and basic provisions for her family for a year.

Madam Sern, who renewed Madam Mico’s contract for two years in July, was aware that all foreign domestic workers had to be covered by insurance but she did not know the details of the coverage.

She found out only later that her insurance plan covers the minimum $15,000 for hospitalisation.

A check online confirmed that her premium costs about $200 for a 26-month policy.

Madam Sern told The New Paper on Friday: “The insurance was paid each time we renewed her contract every two years.

“It has been 25 years since we hired her, and we are no longer in contact with any agents, so we are not aware that we can pay a higher premium for better coverage.”

Madam Mico, who has high blood pressure, has recovered significantly since she was rushed to the hospital last month.

The doctor’s diagnosis was initially bleak. The family was told that she might not be able to move the right side of her body and may never speak again because she will need a tracheostomy tube in her windpipe to help her breathe.

MOVED

She was later moved to the high dependency ward and eventually to a C Class ward at CGH.

Madam Mico’s recovery has been remarkable over the past few days – her tracheostomy tube was removed, and she can do simple exercises with her right hand.

The doctor decided she was fit to fly, and she left for Manila by air ambulance with a nurse yesterday night.

She will be transferred to a hospital near her hometown, about eight hours away from the capital.

Madam Sern and her children, who are in their early 30s, took turns to keep their helper company at the hospital every day.

They gave her massages and talked to her though she could hardly respond.

Madam Sern said: “My oldest son, Eugene, was the one who discovered her unconscious.

“He thought she was just resting but realised something amiss when he tried to wake her up for dinner.

“I couldn’t stop crying when I saw her in the ICU, and I would break down again every time I was at home.

“I couldn’t cry in front of her because I had to put up a strong front.”

Madam Mico, who earns $600 a month, lives with the family in a five-room flat in Sengkang.

She was an active member of Madam Sern’s church.

Madam Mico had been looking forward to Eugene’s wedding, which was a week after her stroke.

He had planned to serve her tea at the traditional Chinese tea ceremony to thank her for raising him.

Madam Sern added: “My son couldn’t hold back his tears for a few minutes in front of hundreds of people when he was giving his wedding speech in church. He was so worried about her.”

Madam Mico, a grandmother of two, also had plans to return to the Philippines after her two-year contract. Her only child, daughter Izelmae, 26, will then leave the country to make a living.

Madam Sern said: “I told her it was not her time to go yet. She still had to enjoy life on earth.

“She was so good to my family and took care of my children so well. We love her so much.”

Her youngest son, Mr Ervine Wong, 30, who works in the aerospace industry, said: “She is part of my family, and she was like our second mum when our mum was busy working.

“Aunty was the one we interacted with, and we would chat and share about our lives with her every day.”

It has been 25 years since we hired her, and we are no longer in contact with any agents, so we are not aware that we can pay a higher premium for better coverage.

– Madam Dora Sern