Efforts to build trust
Scammers might pose as friends, bank employees or government officials to gain trust, and they might even have some acting skills.
“Scammers often try to build genuine trust with the victims via phone calls or text messages,” said the authorities.
These fraudsters may even use local colloquialisms or Singlish, speak with a local accent or sound professional.
“These serve to create a false sense of familiarity, which may lower the victims’ vigilance and lead to misplaced trust,” they added.
Suspicious questions
If a line of questioning goes in an unusual direction, it could be a red flag.
“Scammers may use social engineering techniques to gather information about the victims,” SPF and CSA said, noting that they may ask seemingly perceptive questions, such as the victims’ address and dietary preferences, under the guise of processing their orders.
“Scammers may also gather personal information belonging to the victims that can later be exploited.”