Authorities in Singapore are sounding the alarm about a series of scams that have emerged, taking advantage of popular Chinese messaging and payment platforms such as WeChat, UnionPay, and Alipay. Since the beginning of 2025, reports indicate that at least 678 individuals have fallen victim to these impersonation scams, resulting in total losses surpassing S$17.4 million.

In these scams, the perpetrators typically contact victims via unsolicited phone calls from local mobile numbers, often beginning with “8xxx xxxx” or “+65 xxxx xxxx.” The scammer pretends to be an employee of WeChat, UnionPay, or Alipay, often claiming that a subscription the victim supposedly signed up for—such as insurance, WeChat, or Alipay services—is about to expire. They then persuade victims to switch the conversation to WhatsApp, creating a façade of legitimacy.

Scammers often tell victims that fees for the subscription will be deducted automatically from their linked bank accounts unless they cancel the subscription immediately. To do this, victims are asked to provide sensitive personal information to verify their identities. Furthermore, the scammers instruct them to perform bank transfers to a designated bank account, sometimes guiding these transactions through WhatsApp’s screen-sharing feature. They falsely assure victims that their funds will be refunded upon successful subscription cancellation.

In various instances, scammers employ tactics to enhance their credibility, including:

1. Sending fake documents related to the alleged subscriptions, which include the victim’s personal information, via WhatsApp.
2. Directing victims to speak to another individual posing as a Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) officer, who claims their bank accounts are involved in money laundering activities, thus pressing victims to transfer money to assist with investigations. Sometimes this includes video calls with actors pretending to be MAS officials in uniform.
3. Sending fabricated court orders or arrest warrants containing the victim’s details through WhatsApp to further intimidate and manipulate them.

Victims generally only realize they have been scammed when the impersonators become unreachable or when promised refunds do not materialize.

Officials have clarified that legitimate representatives of the Singapore government will never demand the following actions over the phone:

1. Request for money transfers.
2. Disclosure of banking information.
3. Installation of mobile applications from unofficial app stores.
4. Directly transferring calls to the police, except in emergencies requiring immediate assistance by dialing 995.

These warnings serve as a crucial reminder for the public to maintain vigilance and skepticism, especially with unsolicited communication that involves sensitive personal and financial information. It’s essential to verify the identity of anyone requesting such information and to follow prescribed security protocols to protect oneself against fraud.