One in two people in Singapore targeted by fake job scams

Meanwhile, some 45% of respondents reported being contacted by someone claiming to be a government official who requested personal information or a transfer of funds, while 30% had received messages or calls from someone pretending to be a close friend asking for money, according to a survey by news website AsiaOne.

The survey, carried out from January 5 to 23 this year, collected the opinions and experiences of 1,918 Singapore-based readers on the subject of scams.

About 28% of respondents across all age groups reported falling victim to scams. The percentage was highest among those aged 25 to 34, with 34% having experienced scams, followed by 30% of those aged 45 to 54 and 29% for the 35 to 44 age group.

Among those who had neither experienced scams nor known anyone who had, 77% thought retirees were particularly vulnerable, whereas working adults and parents of young children were considered less likely to fall victim to scams.

However, official data reveals a different story: about 74.2% of all scam victims were youth, young adults, and adults under the age of 50, with many falling victim to e-commerce scams, according to The Straits Times. Seniors aged 65 and above made up just 7.2% of scam victims.

Scams are on the rise in Singapore, having increased by 16.3% year-on-year to a record high of 26,587 incidents in the first half of 2024, as reported by CNA.

Some S$385.6 million (US$295 million) was lost in these cases, a 24.6% increase from a year ago. Job scams ranked second in both the number of cases and total losses during this period.

Another survey, conducted by authorities, found that 64.1% of people in Singapore were confident in their ability to avoid scams, while 40% believed they would never fall victim.

However, the police cautioned that overconfidence can often lead to complacency and reduce individuals' vigilance against scams.

"The mindset that one is immune to scams is dangerous. People tend to underestimate the evolving nature of scams and the diverse and sophisticated tactics employed by scammers," they warned.