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Cheap deal, costly click: Singapore loses S$1.4m to social media phishing scams since July 2026

Malaymail • October 3, 2026

SINGAPORE, Oct 3 — With 87 per cent of people in Singapore aged 15 and above accessing top social media sites such as , Instagram and TikTok on a weekly basis, it is unsurprising that scammers have again turned to these platforms to find their victims.

Police said in a news release last night that at least 246 cases of phishing scams that are being to such platforms have been reported since July this year, with total losses amounting to at least S$1.4 million (RM4.47 million).

According to the police, some victims also provided their one-time passwords or authorised digital tokens to complete the transactions.

They would only realise that they have been scammed when unauthorised transactions were made to their card or bank accounts.

Members of the public are advised to set up security features such as transaction limits, two-factor authentication, and the money lock feature on their internet banking accounts.

They should never disclose personal information such as banking credentials and login information, or one-time passwords to anyone.

If in doubt, members of the public can call the 24/7 ScamShield helpline at 1799. — AsiaOne

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246 Singaporeans Lose S$1.4 Million to Social Media Phishing Scams Since July 2026, at least 246 individuals in Singapore have fallen victim to phishing scams via fake social media advertisements, resulting in losses totaling S$1.4 million. Victims were lured by ads offering cheap goods but were redirected to phishing sites where they unknowingly entered sensitive payment information, including card details and one-time passwords. The police reported a significant rise in such scams and advised the public to adopt the 'ACT' framework: Add security features, Check for signs of scams, and Tell authorities. In the first half of 2026, Singapore experienced a total loss of S$410.6 million due to various scams, though the number of cases has decreased compared to the previous year. The police continue to warn the public about the risks associated with online shopping deals that seem too good to be true. 4 sources 42

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Cheap deal, costly click: Singapore loses S$1.4m to social media phishing scams since July 2026

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Attack Types (1)

Countries (1)

MITRE ATT&CK (1)

Platforms (2)