Delivery couriers targeted in iTunes gift cards scam: Police

SINGAPORE — The Singapore Police Force (SPF) on Tuesday (May 10) warned of the re-emergence of scams targeting delivery couriers.

There have been several victims since April, with losses amounting to at least S$2,000, said the police.

In the first variant scammers would submit a request through a delivery platform.

They would then contact the assigned courier and ask for help in purchasing iTunes gift cards from convenience stores at the pick-up location and delivering the gift cards to the drop-off location.

Then, the scammer would ask the courier to scratch and reveal the code behind the card and send a photo of the code as proof of purchase.

After the courier has done so, the scammers would become uncontactable without reimbursing the courier’s payment for the gift cards.

In the second scam variant, a remittance agency would be indicated as a pickup location for a delivery.

The scammer would then contact the assigned courier and ask the courier to transfer a certain amount of money to an overseas account, promising an attractive tip of at least S$100 per remittance.

Victims would only realise they had been cheated when the scammers then became uncontactable and they found no one at the delivery location to make payment for the remittance.

CRIME PREVENTION MEASURES

The police advised members of the public to observe these crime prevention measures:

• Do not accept dubious job offers that offer lucrative returns for minimal effort;
• Never assist anyone, whom you have not met in person, with any monetary transfers, including remittance;
• Never provide the codes for gift cards without first receiving payment;
• Report the scammer to the delivery platform customer service immediately

Providing remittance services without a licence is an offence that carries a fine of up to S$125,000, up to three years' jail, or both, the police warned.

For more information on scams, members of the public can visit the scam alert website or call the Anti-Scam Hotline at 1800-722-6688. CNA