SINGAPORE: More than S$1 million has been lost to Johor-Singapore housing subsidy scams since September, with at least 21 reported cases.<\/p>\n
The police said in a statement on Friday (Nov 14) that advertisements about the supposed initiative falsely claim a collaboration between the Singapore and Johor governments to provide subsidised housing.<\/p>\n
The housing subsidy initiative does not exist, said the police.<\/p>\n
Victims would encounter the ads about \u201cJBSG Housing Subsidy Program\u201d or \u201cFree Homes Across the Causeway\u201d on online platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp.<\/p>\n
Some of the ads included documents with forged signatures purportedly from the prime ministers of Singapore and Malaysia, said the police.<\/p>\n
The ads would contain links for victims to submit applications. These links would direct victims to WhatsApp to communicate with the scammers.<\/p>\n
Victims would then be asked to enter their personal information, such as NRIC number, residential address and e-mail address, through suspicious links.<\/p>\n
They would also be asked to transfer money online for purported \u201clegal and stamp duties\u201d, or to physically hand over cash to unknown individuals.<\/p>\n
The police advise members of the public not to disclose any personal information or give money and other valuables to people whose identities they have not verified.<\/p>\n
In the first half of 2025, close to half a billion dollars was lost to scams, with almost 20,000 cases reported in Singapore.<\/p>\n
In 79 per cent of the cases, scammers did not gain control of the victims\u2019 accounts but manipulated the victims into transferring money. – The Straits Times\/ANN<\/p>\n
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