Financial Crime Awareness Campaign Launched in Singapore: UOB Bank Staff Foil Elderly Woman’s $40,000 Scam Attempt
Year-End Crime Prevention Campaign Kicked Off in Singapore
On 9 November 2023, the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) and the Singapore Police Force (SPF) launched their annual Year-End Crime Prevention Campaign. The event, which was attended by approximately 100 individuals, including community partners, was held at UOB Plaza Atrium. The Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs & Ministry of Social and Family Development, Ms Sun Xueling, graced the occasion.
New ACT Campaign Video and Recognition of Heroic Bank Staff
During the event, a new video for the ADD, CHECK, TELL (ACT) financial crime awareness campaign was unveiled. The video features a specially composed song that emphasizes actions the public can take to protect themselves from scams. The day also recognized the heroic actions of two United Overseas Bank (UOB) staff members from Bendemeer branch: Ms Grace Ng and Ms Jasmine Tay.
Preventing a $40,000 Scam Attempt
Ms Ng, UOB’s branch executive, prevented an elderly woman from losing over $40,000 to a scam. She grew suspicious when the woman’s companion appeared hesitant to provide identification and seemed reluctant to provide further details about the transaction. With the assistance of her colleague, Ms Tay, they contacted the Police, who quickly identified the scam as a Government Officials Impersonation scam involving a document mule. The man was arrested the same day, saving the elderly woman from significant financial loss.
Combating the Rise of Government Officials Impersonation Scams
The incident is one of many instances of Government Officials Impersonation scams in Singapore. In the first half of 2023, 369 reported cases of this scam type resulted in $42.8 million in losses - a 15% increase compared to the same period last year.
Importance of Community Vigilance and Reporting
Minister of State Ms Sun Xueling emphasized the importance of stakeholders and community efforts in combating scams: “While it’s essential for banks to employ anti-malware functions on their digital banking apps, scammers will undoubtedly shift their tactics. The key is to not unwittingly download malware onto your phone and it’s crucial to report any signs of a scam.”
Swift Actions by NCPC and SPF
Chairman of the NCPC, Mr Gerald Singham, underlined the significance of the community’s role in crime prevention: “We thank the UOB team for their swift actions, which not only saved an elderly woman from financial loss but also highlighted the importance of vigilance in detecting scams and helping prevent victims from falling prey to such tactics.”
Year-End Crime Prevention Campaign Focus and Events
The Year-End Crime Prevention Campaign, which has been ongoing since 1984, is a key annual event organized by the NCPC. This year’s focus is on addressing financial scams, shoplifting, outrage of modesty, and voyeurism.
Roadshow and Media Broadcast
The event includes a fun-filled roadshow held from 9 to 10 November 2023 and broadcasts the ACT campaign video on local channels and other media platforms.
Inter-School Anti-Scam Video Competition
In conjunction with the event, Clementi Police Division held an inter-school anti-scam video competition from July to October 2023, inviting secondary and tertiary students to create engaging videos with anti-scam messages using the hashtag #YouthAgainstScams. Teams from Commonwealth Secondary School and an NUS student won the competition, respectively.
UOB’s Commitment to Combating Financial Scams
UOB’s commitment to combating financial scams is reflected through their SPOT framework, which all staff are trained in. The framework includes ‘Sense’ (awareness), ‘Probe’ (ask questions), ‘Observe’ (identify unusual behaviors), and ‘Take Action’ (report the suspicious incident to the proper authorities) to help prevent potential victims from becoming targets. UOB branch managers keep their staff updated on the latest scam trends and share tips to effectively tackle them.