Apple impersonation Crypto scam hits Singapore, at least S$195,000 lost
The Singapore Police Force (SPF) have warned of a new scam variant impersonating Apple that has resulted in victims losing at least $195,000 in cryptocurrency.
Since 7 Aug 2026, at least five cases have been reported, according to a police advisory issued on Friday (21 Aug).
Victims receive fake Apple security alerts
In these cases, victims would typically first receive an unexpected pop-up notification on their Apple devices.
Source: Facebook, for illustrative purposes only
The notification would claim that there had been unauthorised attempts to access their Apple account or prompt them to change their Apple ID password.
Victims would then receive an unsolicited phone call from scammers posing as Apple’s technical support team.
The calls often appeared with the “+1” country code, which is associated with North America.
The scammers would claim that the victim’s Apple or email account had been compromised.
They would then direct victims to fraudulent websites, including “chat-apple.com” or “case-apple.com”.
Source: Facebook, for illustrative purposes only
Scammers allegedly obtain Apple, crypto credentials and OTPs
Victims were subsequently instructed to provide sensitive information such as their Apple ID credentials, cryptocurrency account credentials and One-Time Passwords (OTPs).
With the compromised credentials and OTPs, scammers could gain access to victims’ cryptocurrency accounts or linked wallets.
The cryptocurrency assets would then be swiftly transferred out by the scammers.
Victims only realised they had been scammed after discovering unauthorised cryptocurrency transactions on their accounts.
Police reminded the public that Apple will never ask for Apple ID passwords, OTPs or login credentials through unsolicited calls, pop-up notifications or links.
Members of the public should also avoid clicking links from unsolicited messages or websites and verify URLs before entering their credentials.
What to do if you receive a suspicious Apple alert
Those who receive unexpected password reset prompts should close the pop-up and access the Settings application directly to check their account status or update their password.
Source: Facebook, for illustrative purposes only
Alternatively, they can contact Apple through its official support channels.
Suspicious calls can also be reported to the 24/7 ScamShield Helpline at 1799.
Anyone who suspects that their cryptocurrency account has been compromised should contact their cryptocurrency service provider immediately and take steps to secure their account.
Police also advised members of the public to ADD, CHECK and TELL to protect themselves from scams.
- ADD: Add the ScamShield app to block scam calls and filter SMSes. Members of the public should also enable two-factor authentication on their Apple ID and cryptocurrency accounts, and set transaction limits where available.
- CHECK: Verify suspicious calls, pop-ups and links through official Apple channels or the ScamShield app. Crypto-wallet activity should also be checked through the provider’s official app or website.
- TELL: Inform the authorities, family and friends about scams, report fraudulent transactions to the crypto-wallet provider and make a police report.
Source: Clementi Police Division on Facebook
Fraudulent transactions can be reported to the Police via the Police Hotline at 1800-255-0000 or through the Police website.
When in doubt, members of the public can call 1799 to check with the ScamShield Helpline.
Also read: Scammer poses as police officer with MP as profile pic, victim loses over S$1M
Scammer poses as police officer with MP as profile pic, victim loses over S$1M
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Featured image adapted from Facebook and National Crime Prevention Council on YouTube. Picture on the left for illustrative purposes only.
Credit: Source link
