MOM unit warns of remittance service impersonation scam targeting migrant workers in Singapore

SINGAPORE – Migrant workers in Singapore should beware of a scam involving the impersonation of a remittance service provider that is not available here, the authorities said.

The Ministry of Manpower’s Assurance, Care and Engagement (ACE) Group said in a Facebook post on Feb 2 that the police have received reports of scams involving the impersonation of the TapTap Send mobile app for remittance services, targeting migrant workers.

The TapTap Send service is not currently available in Singapore, ACE Group noted in its advisory.

In this scam variant, victims would come across advertisements involving the app on Facebook offering remittance services with “good exchange rates”, said ACE Group, which safeguards the well-being of migrant workers here.

When victims reach out to “app personnel”, they would be directed to communicate via WhatsApp instead. Most of the scammers’ WhatsApp accounts begin with Bangladesh’s +880 phone country code, ACE Group said.

To facilitate the remittance, victims would then be instructed to download a fake TapTap Send app by clicking on a weblink sent by the scammers.

In the app, victims would be prompted to transfer money to an OCBC or DBS/POSB account that was supposedly linked to their TapTap Send account, ACE Group said.

Victims would realise they have been swindled only when their app balance remains at zero, although they have deposited money into the app, it added.

The Straits Times has contacted the police for more information.