Carousell, Facebook Marketplace remain at bottom of anti-scam rating system

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SINGAPORE: The Inter-Minister Committee on Scams( IMCS ) said on Thursday( May 4) that Carousell and Facebook Marketplace have been rated the lowest out of six e-commerce platforms for their anti-scam measures in place to ensure the security of online transactions. & nbsp,

The results were released in the E-commerce Marketplace Transaction Safety Ratings( 2023 & nbsp ), an annual update to the ratings given to significant online commerce platforms based on their security features.

The TSR, which was first introduced in May 2022, informs customers about the anti-scam measures put in place by well-known e-commerce systems. & nbsp,

The level of the implemented safeguards to protect users from scams is indicated by the general health ratings given to each system. & nbsp,

These include consumer presence of lost remediation channels, transaction safety, user authenticity, and the success of their anti-scam measures. The grades range from one to four bugs, with the highest grade being four. & nbsp,

With one bite and two bugs given to Facebook Marketplace and Carousell, between, they are intact from last year.

Shopee received three bugs, while Qoo10, Amazon, and Lazada all received four. & nbsp,

One of the most common types of schemes in Singapore is e-commerce fraud. & nbsp,

There were 4, 762 reported cases of e-commerce scams in 2022, an increase of 74.5 percent from 2, 729 incidents the year before.

About 62 % of all reported e-commerce scams were carried out on Carousell and Facebook. & nbsp,

According to the committee, these frauds typically involve the sale of goods and services online, where they are never delivered until transaction has been made. & nbsp,

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6 Thai restaurants in Singapore you should check out when the craving strikes

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Thai food has always enjoyed a special place in Singapore’s heart. Classic spots such as Thanying have been around for decades and there is no shortage of fresh, new entrants sprouting up across the city, inspired by the busy streetside stalls of Bangkok or the bucolic towns of Chiang Mai.

Whether you’re looking to try something entirely new, test your tolerance for spice in a tangy som tum, or just want a good old pad kra pao, these Thai joints will have something good to satiate your cravings.

1. CHEDI

The latest darling of new Thai restaurants in town, Chedi is chef-owner K-Jin Lim’s love letter to a cuisine whose pull impelled him to uproot his young family in 2014 for a life in Chiang Mai.

There, he immersed himself in the study of Thai cuisine under a chef whose pedigree is distilled to the year his grandmother served as head chef to the Thai Royal family. What he learnt over his eight years in Thailand is expressed in an eight-course tasting menu that changes throughout the year.

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‘Close to 90%’ of Singaporeans involved in terrorism-related activities successfully reintegrated into society after rehab: PM Lee

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It has also widened its reach by raising its online presence during the COVID-19 pandemic. It organised virtual events and put out educational videos and articles to sustain its outreach during the pandemic. Lastly, the RRG also works with other religious groups to promote better understanding among different faiths andContinue Reading

Singapore youth who planned to attack Jews released from ISA detention, placed on restriction order

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“As a result, Amirull has renounced his radical beliefs in armed jihad and the use of violence. He now sees jihad as caring for his parents, improving himself, and contributing to society.

“He also understands the importance of living harmoniously with people of other races and religions in Singapore, and to verify any religious information that he is unsure about with locally accredited religious teachers and scholars,” ISD added.

An RRG volunteer also gave Amirull weekly English lessons to help him pursue further studies at a post-secondary institution.

Amirull aspires to be a chef, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in a separate speech on Wednesday.

Speaking at the launch of a new RRG gallery, he outlined how the group of voluntary Islamic scholars and teachers has worked to tackle extremist ideologies through rehabilitation, community outreach and inter-faith collaboration.

Mr Lee also gave an update on the self-radicalisation situation in Singapore. Since the rise of the Islamic State in 2015, ISD has dealt with 49 such individuals under the Internal Security Act (ISA) – four times more than the number of cases in the preceding period from 2007 to 2014.

Of the 49 men and women, 37 are Singaporeans, 11 are aged 20 or younger, and 5 of the youths wanted to mount attacks in Singapore, said the prime minister. 

PSYCHOLOGICAL HELP

Apart from religious counselling, Amirull worked with ISD case officers and a psychologist, the department said on Wednesday.

“Through the interactions, he has come to understand that while one may sympathise with the plight of people caught in the crosshairs of a conflict such as that between Israel and Palestine, we should never resort to or advocate violence as a solution,” said ISD in its release.

“The psychological counselling sessions also helped Amirull to strengthen his critical thinking and emotion regulation skills, which would reduce his vulnerability to radical influences.”

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Singapore Tourism Board to get new chief executive

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SUPPORTED THE FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19 Paying tribute to the outgoing Mr Tan, MTI said that under his leadership, he led STB in developing, marketing and promoting Singapore as a vibrant destination for quality business and leisure travellers.  “He grew the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) industry, positioning it as anContinue Reading

Hot weather in Malaysia: No school closures thus far though outdoor activities suspended

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According to the ministry’s guidelines issued last Friday, schools must suspend outdoor activities for students and teachers if the temperature is between 35 degrees Celsius and 37 degrees Celsius for three consecutive days.

If the temperature reaches over 37 degrees Celsius for three consecutive days and a heatwave is declared by the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia), schools will be ordered to shut.

The education ministry has since allowed students and teachers to wear athletic clothing to school amid the prolonged hot weather in some Malaysian states.

Education deputy director-general of school operations, Dr Norisah Suhaili, in a letter dated May 2 said that the decision was made to ensure the welfare, health and safety of students, teachers as well as school administrators.

Dr Norisah said the current hot weather could trigger a heatwave, which could lead to health complications such as hyperthermia, heatstroke and dehydration.

Just last week, Malaysia’s health director-general Dr Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan said that a total of five cases of heat-related illness had been detected in the country.

According to a report by The Star last month, MetMalaysia had forecast the temperature to hover at about 35 degrees Celsius in most parts of the country daily until early May.

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Admin assistant jailed for crediting almost 400,000 NTUC LinkPoints to herself, employer asks for leniency

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SINGAPORE: An administrative assistant with a dance academy credited to herself almost 400,000 NTUC Linkpoints worth about S$4,000 (US$3,000). She used the points to buy food, purchase handphones which she sold off, and paid off loans to unlicensed moneylenders. Malaysian Liew Yu Er, 23, was sentenced to two weeks’ jailContinue Reading