How to Solve Problems in Singapore | Scam Calls, Phishing SMS and ScamShield Reporting

If you receive a suspicious call, SMS, WhatsApp message or website link in Singapore, do not transfer money, reveal passwords or one-time codes, or install an app merely because the message sounds urgent. Stop interacting, then check the phone number, message or link in the official ScamShield service. If you are unsure, call the 24-hour ScamShield Helpline at 1799.

ScamShield’s updated 2026 app can check suspected scam numbers, SMS and messages from services such as WhatsApp and Telegram, as well as web links. It also lets users submit reports so authorities can review suspicious content and improve blocking. However, a ScamShield app report is not an official Police report. If money has been lost or a criminal offence is suspected, follow the relevant bank-protection and Police procedures separately.

This guide explains how to recognise common patterns without depending on guesswork, what ScamShield can and cannot confirm, how to report a call or message, and what to do when you have already clicked, disclosed information or sent funds.

Quick answer: what to do with a suspicious message

Stop: Do not open unknown attachments, send payment, install software or give login information.
Verify independently: Open the organisation’s real website or app yourself; do not rely on the number or link supplied by the caller.
Check with ScamShield: Use the official app to review a suspicious number, message or URL.
Call 1799: The ScamShield Helpline is available around the clock for scam-related enquiries and advice.
Report the suspicious contact: Submit the content through ScamShield if appropriate, remembering that it is not an official Police report.
Block the sender: Use your phone’s controls and the ScamShield filtering features when supported.
If you already transferred money: Contact your bank’s genuine fraud hotline immediately and follow its account-protection instructions.
If a suspicious app was installed: Follow ScamShield’s malware guidance, secure accounts from a trusted device and report any unauthorised transactions.

Why scammers sound convincing

Scammers frequently impersonate organisations that have real authority: banks, government agencies, parcel companies, employers, police officers or technology support. Their claim works by creating urgency: “Your account will be locked in ten minutes”, “A parcel is being held”, or “Move your savings to a safe account now”.

The story may contain a real company name, a correct official logo or some of your personal details. None of those facts proves the person has a right to request money or credentials. Criminals can reuse leaked information, copy designs or obtain transaction details through previous fraud.

A more reliable question is: Can I verify this request through a channel I found independently? A genuine unresolved bank matter can be checked through your bank’s published number without transferring money to a new account supplied over the phone.

Step 1 — Recognise the main warning signs

Be particularly cautious when a message:

Insists you must act immediately or face arrest, cancellation or loss.
Requests a bank transfer to a “safe” or “investigation” account.
Asks for a password, OTP, Singpass approval or remote access to your phone.
Directs you to install an app from a link outside an official app store.
Changes an agreed business payment account unexpectedly.
Promises guaranteed income or a valuable prize in return for a deposit.
Asks you to click a shortened or unfamiliar web link for verification.
Demands payment before returning an earlier scam loss.
Threatens to disclose personal information unless you comply.

These are indicators, not a mechanical proof test. Some genuine organisations send urgent notices, and some scams look calm and professional. The decisive response is independent verification and protection of credentials.

Step 2 — Use the ScamShield app to check

Singapore’s official ScamShield check service describes the process: select whether you want to check a number, message or website link; provide the relevant content; and review the result.

For messages, the enhanced app supports uploaded screenshots of SMS, WhatsApp and Telegram content. This helps residents check suspicious material without repeating the scammer’s instructions or interacting with the sender.

The app considers known scam patterns, number reports and information about verified sources. It may tell you that something looks like a scam, looks safe according to available records, or remains uncertain.

Do not treat any automated checker as a universal guarantee. A new fraudulent number or website may not yet be identified, and a caller using a familiar name may still be impersonating that person. Where uncertainty remains, verify through the real organisation.

Step 3 — Know when to call 1799

The ScamShield Helpline at 1799 is available 24 hours a day for scam-related enquiries. You can use it to ask whether a situation appears suspicious, seek advice about protective actions, or be directed to the appropriate bank if you have been scammed.

A helpline conversation does not itself stop a bank transfer, freeze an account or constitute an official Police report. If money may still be leaving your account, calling the genuine bank promptly is essential.

When phoning 1799, explain the actual concern: who contacted you, what they claimed, which link or payment was requested, and whether you shared information or sent money. Do not provide the scammer’s instructions as if they were genuine authority.

Step 4 — Report calls and messages through ScamShield

ScamShield’s 2026 reporting guide says users can submit suspected scam calls and messages. Its call-report workflow asks whether the contact was a person or recorded voice, and who the caller claimed to represent. For messages, screenshots can help convey the content.

Reports provide information for official review. Suspected scam numbers may later be added to the blocklist, and the detection system can learn from emerging patterns. That helps protect other people, not just the person submitting a report.

If the app checks a message and identifies it as likely fraudulent, it may automatically submit relevant information as a report. Still, a suspicious contact that the system has not yet flagged may be worth reporting accurately.

Do not submit invented conversations, fabricated screenshots or a business competitor’s number as a “scammer” merely because you dislike them.

Why a ScamShield report is not a Police report

ScamShield states explicitly that reports submitted through its app are not official Police reports. App reporting helps detection, review and blocking. Police reporting creates a separate official record of a suspected offence.

If you have sent money to a scammer, discovered unauthorised transactions or been coerced, contact the relevant bank promptly, preserve the evidence and use the Singapore Police reporting service where appropriate.

You do not need a Police report for every spam text merely to block it. But you should not assume clicking “Report Scam” in an app completes the formal reporting process after actual financial loss.

Our companion article Scammed by PayNow or Bank Transfer? What to Do Immediately covers the urgent financial-loss sequence.

Step 5 — Set up blocking and filtering

ScamShield offers filtering and blocking functions for compatible iOS and Android phones. The official setup guide explains the relevant settings for each platform.

On iPhone, the system can filter suspicious SMS into a junk folder and use call-identification or blocking features subject to the device’s settings. On Android, ScamShield uses compatible on-device detection and information about suspicious numbers to filter or warn about messages and calls.

The exact permissions and screens can change with operating-system updates. Install from the official app store and follow ScamShield’s published instructions rather than downloading an APK someone sent through a message.

No blocker catches everything. ScamShield also notes privacy-related exclusions for contacts saved on the phone. A familiar contact’s number can still be misused or their messaging account compromised.

What if the app says the number is safe?

A checker result reflects available information; it is not permission to disclose a password or transfer funds to a person you have never independently verified. A scammer may use a new number, spoof a displayed caller identity or approach through an existing conversation.

For example, a message apparently from a friend asking for emergency money deserves verification with the real friend through a different channel. The phone number alone may be insufficient if an account has been taken over.

Use ScamShield as a useful screening tool, not a replacement for checking the actual request and its destination.

Step 6 — Protect yourself from fake government messages

Singapore government websites generally use .gov.sg domains. A page with a government crest or agency name but a completely unrelated domain deserves caution. Use the official agency website you know or reach through a trusted government directory.

ScamShield’s government information emphasises that government officials will not ask people to transfer money over a phone call. A caller claiming to be Police, ICA, CPF, IRAS or HDB is not authorised to redirect your savings to an “investigation account” simply because they know your NRIC or address.

Hang up and contact the relevant agency through a number or web address you obtain independently. Never call back using only the suspicious caller’s provided number.

If a message says your Singpass account is about to expire, open the genuine Singpass service yourself rather than following the link.

Step 7 — Watch for delivery and marketplace impersonation

A common scenario is a message saying a package cannot be delivered until a small “address verification” payment is made. The link opens a website mimicking a courier or retailer.

Even a small initial payment may be designed to steal card information or prompt another authentication request. Check the order directly in the merchant’s or delivery company’s genuine app. Do not assume the text is authentic because you are expecting a parcel.

If you purchased an item through a marketplace, use its buyer-support process instead of moving to an unfamiliar payment site. See Online Shopping Refund Not Received, CASE and Small Claims for genuine purchase disputes.

Step 8 — Recognise fake job and investment approaches

A scammer may offer easy earnings for simple clicking or rating tasks, then require deposits to “unlock” higher commissions or withdraw supposed gains. Another may promise fixed returns from a private investment platform and show impressive but unverifiable statements.

Do not treat an account balance shown on a website as proof the money exists or can be withdrawn. Avoid transferring funds to accounts given by unknown recruiters or unlicensed operators before independently researching the organisation and its claims.

If you have already paid, stop further transfers and contact the bank. People who insist you must pay another tax or release fee to receive your earlier “profit” may be extending the scam.

A genuine job application can be verified with the employer through its established recruiting channel.

Step 9 — What if you clicked a link but entered nothing?

Merely opening a suspicious page does not automatically prove that your credentials were stolen or your device infected. However, the risk depends on the page, browser, files downloaded and what actions you took.

Close the page, do not download attachments and review whether you entered any personal information or gave permissions. Keep the link safely for reporting without forwarding it to others as something they should open.

If you typed a banking password, approved an OTP, installed unknown software or allowed remote access, treat the incident more seriously. Follow the relevant protective process promptly.

Do not test the page again by entering fake bank details or trying to “catch the scammer” yourself.

Step 10 — What if you installed a malicious app?

ScamShield’s malicious-app response guide advises turning on flight mode, ensuring Wi-Fi is off and using a safe device to check bank, Singpass and CPF accounts for unauthorised activity.

If suspicious transactions are present, contact the bank and relevant authorities immediately and lodge a Police report where appropriate. Depending on the circumstances, malware removal, account-security changes or a factory reset may be needed.

Do not type fresh banking passwords into a device you believe has been taken over, even if the malware appears to have stopped. Ask the bank how to restore access securely from another trusted device.

A factory reset can erase personal data. Check appropriate backups and qualified security guidance, while keeping protection of money and identity the priority.

Step 11 — If you shared an OTP or banking password

Tell the affected bank immediately exactly what was shared, when, and whether you approved a transaction. The bank can advise whether to freeze channels, revoke devices, block cards or change account credentials.

If you used the same password elsewhere, secure those other accounts from a trusted device. Email is important because it may control password resets for many other services. Singpass also has separate account-suspension options.

Preserve the scammer’s messages and call records. Accurate information helps distinguish a compromised login from a mistaken transfer or a voluntary purchase dispute.

For an already unauthorised card or bank transaction, see Unauthorised Credit Card Charges and Bank Transaction Disputes.

Step 12 — How to protect a family member who receives scam calls

A useful family rule is simple: any unexpected request for money, a password or a security approval should be checked independently before action. Family members can agree to call each other through a known number when anyone claims to need urgent help.

Do not demand that older relatives surrender their personal devices or treat them as incapable of decisions. A brief explanation of common impersonation tactics and a written list of genuine bank contact channels may be more useful.

If a relative has already lost money, prioritise timely bank protection and appropriate reporting, not blame or a lecture about how the scam “should have been obvious”. The recovery steps remain time-sensitive.

Worked example: a fake Police call

Fictional resident Mei receives a call from someone claiming to be Police. The caller says her identity is linked to a criminal investigation and instructs her to transfer S$8,000 to a “safe account”.

Mei hangs up without transferring funds. She checks the relevant government information independently, reports the call through ScamShield and seeks guidance through 1799 if uncertain. She does not treat the caller’s knowledge of her NRIC as proof of authority.

The central lesson is that a demand to move money to a newly supplied account is not made genuine by a convincing title or threat.

Worked example: a parcel link in an SMS

Fictional resident Daniel is expecting a delivery. He gets an SMS saying the parcel is held until a S$2.50 fee is paid through a link. He checks the genuine merchant’s order page and courier tracking system rather than opening the SMS link.

He finds no such fee and submits a suspicious-message report through ScamShield. Because he never shared credentials or paid, there is no demonstrated financial loss requiring a bank recovery request.

The case illustrates prevention, as distinct from the actions needed after funds have already been transferred.

Worked example: a friend asks for money on WhatsApp

Fictional resident Aisha receives a WhatsApp message from a familiar contact asking for immediate money to an unfamiliar bank account. The message claims the friend cannot make a voice call.

Aisha uses a different established channel to contact the friend, discovers their messaging account may have been compromised and does not transfer funds. She reports the suspicious message and warns the genuine friend privately.

The important point is that a familiar-looking messaging identity does not guarantee that the real owner is currently controlling the account.

Common mistakes when dealing with scams

Assuming a caller is genuine because the displayed phone number looks local.
Calling a verification number supplied by the suspicious message itself.
Believing an official logo proves a website’s authenticity.
Sharing a one-time password to “cancel” a transaction.
Assuming ScamShield will detect every new scam automatically.
Treating a ScamShield report as an official Police report after losing money.
Reopening a suspected phishing link to gather more evidence.
Sending a second payment because a scammer promises a refund.
Publishing private banking or identity details while warning other people.

Frequently asked questions

What is Singapore’s ScamShield hotline?

Call 1799 for ScamShield’s 24-hour scam-related enquiries and protective advice.

Can ScamShield check WhatsApp messages?

The enhanced app supports checking suspicious message content, including screenshots from WhatsApp, Telegram and SMS.

Can ScamShield check website links?

Yes. The official app supports suspicious website-link checks as well as numbers and messages.

Does reporting a number to ScamShield block it immediately?

Not necessarily. Reports are reviewed, and suspicious numbers may be added to the blocklist based on the assessment. There is no guarantee every reported number is automatically blocked.

Is ScamShield the same as a Police report?

No. ScamShield states that app reports do not replace an official Police report when a crime or financial loss is involved.

Do I call the bank or 1799 first after sending money?

Contact the genuine bank promptly when money was sent or account access may be compromised. The helpline can provide advice and help direct callers.

Can government officials ask me to transfer money by phone?

ScamShield’s official government information warns that government officers do not ask people to transfer money during phone calls. Verify suspicious demands independently.

What if I installed a suspicious app?

Follow ScamShield’s malware-response steps, protect financial and identity accounts using a trusted device and report any unauthorised transactions urgently.

Official Singapore resources

Reviewed against official ScamShield guidance updated in 2026. For an active financial loss, contact the bank promptly, preserve evidence and follow official reporting instructions. A scam-checking service cannot guarantee the safety of every unfamiliar contact.