SINGAPORE – When she received a message from a potential “buyer” for her $15 keychain on Carousell, Jane Lim (not her real name) got excited.
She clicked on a link sent to her e-mail address by the “buyer” to receive payment, but ended up losing $1,000 instead.
Ms Lim, who is in her 50s, recounted her experience during an interview at Police Cantonment Complex on April 6.
The police wanted to remind the public about red flags in phishing scams, which cost victims almost $40 million in losses in 2025.
Ms Lim listed a keychain for sale at $15 in February, and received a message from the prospective buyer on the app about 10 minutes later.
As it was her first time selling on Carousell, she trusted the buyer, who said he would guide her through the transaction.
She said: “He told me (over text) he would initiate the (transaction) and I would receive an e-mail.”
The e-mail stated that the buyer had paid for the item, and the money was deposited into Carousell’s payment system. To receive the money, Ms Lim clicked on a link in the e-mail, which led to a website that resembled Carousell’s.
She did not verify its authenticity as she was excited about selling the keychain.
Ms Lim could not remember if she keyed in her banking details on the fake website.
