Online scams in Singapore

01Social media, a major channel for scams in Singapore

Social platforms play a central role in Singapore’s digital life, with millions of active users. For a foreign resident, using them may seem like a simple and quick way to find information and communicate, but they are also prime hunting grounds for cybercriminals.

Facebook, Instagram, Telegram and other networks host sophisticated scams: overly attractive savings or credit offers, fake charity events and fraudulent job offers particularly targeting expats. The ease with which a fake account can be created and then used to manipulate the trust of unsuspecting users makes social media a prime channel for identity theft and phishing.

A specific example affected several English-speaking expats in Singapore in 2025: a fake profile claiming to represent a government agency offered financial assistance. By following the links provided, the victims were led to share personal and banking information. This type of incident shows how the rapid shift to digital services in recent years has increased exposure to scams. Vigilance must include systematic caution towards requests received through these channels, even when they appear to come from official organisations — the MAS (Monetary Authority of Singapore) reminds people that no Singapore government agency asks for banking codes by SMS or private message.

In response to this threat, foreign residents are advised to enable two-factor authentication as a matter of course, avoid clicking on suspicious links and report any doubtful activity directly on the relevant platforms. The ScamShield app, developed with the support of the Singapore police, automatically filters identified fraudulent calls and SMS messages and alerts the user in real time.

Local businesses are also taking action to raise employees’ and customers’ awareness of scam prevention. They distribute information sheets on the most common scams and remind people of best practices for protecting personal data shared on social media. For freelancers and small businesses, specific cybersecurity training, including courses offered by the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA), helps them anticipate these attacks more effectively.

03The most common scams targeting foreign residents

As Singapore is a global business hub, online scams take many forms and evolve quickly. It is useful to distinguish the types of fraud most frequently encountered by expats in order to recognise them more easily.

The so-called ‘CPF’ scam (Central Provident Fund, Singapore’s equivalent of a compulsory pension and savings scheme) targets workers who are unfamiliar with this local system: fraudulent messages offer fake refunds or withdrawal assistance services. Similarly, bank phishing attempts by SMS or email are becoming increasingly targeted and difficult to identify at first glance. Impersonation of professionals and fake government websites (imitating, for example, the SingPass portal or ICA) seek to obtain sensitive information or divert funds.

Fraud involving dropshipping, illegal pyramid schemes or fake financial investments (cryptocurrencies, forex) is also part of the landscape. These platforms, which are not licensed by the MAS, are often promoted via social media and skilfully disguised to appear legitimate, appealing to an international audience seeking investments or quick gains — a risk documented in greater detail in our guide to crypto taxation and regulation in Singapore.

Type of scam	How it works	Prevention advice
Bank phishing	Emails or SMS messages impersonating a bank to obtain personal codes	Never click on links; contact your bank directly using the official number
Fake shopping website	A website selling non-existent products or stealing card details	Check the URL and reviews; pay by card to benefit from chargeback
Fake investments	Online offers for unregulated savings products or cryptocurrencies	Check the platform’s MAS licence and avoid offers that seem too attractive
Identity theft	Creating fake profiles to scam people or damage their reputation	Report them promptly to the platforms and change your passwords

Legally, these practices are covered by the Computer Misuse Act and, in cases of financial fraud, by Singapore’s Penal Code, which provide for sentences of up to several years’ imprisonment and fines in Singapore dollars (SGD), depending on the seriousness of the offence — a framework that is quite distinct from French criminal law and should never be confused with it when searching for information online.

05Practical tips for protecting your personal data

The key to protecting yourself against online scams is to manage your login details and digital access carefully. Using complex, different passwords for each account, changing them regularly and always enabling two-factor authentication are among the most effective cybersecurity recommendations.

You should also avoid sharing sensitive information on social media that could be exploited by cybercriminals: your exact date of birth, full address or employer’s name. Pay particular attention to promotional offers and online questionnaires, which may conceal attempts to collect data improperly, in breach of Singapore’s Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA).

In professional communications, particularly in an expat context, caution remains essential: do not reply to suspicious emails or messages without checking them first, use secure channels to send sensitive documents, and regularly update your security software. These are all essential everyday practices in Singapore.