ACRA Public Advisory – How to Stay Away from Scams
The residents of Singapore can securely access more than 1,700 government and private sector services online and offline through Singpass, a trusted digital identity. Users can easily log in to digital services, prove their identity over counters, digitally sign documents, and do more via Singpass.
However, recently, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) warned about the emergence of a new scam that involves scanning Singpass QR codes to access digital services for fraudulent activities.
The SPF said, “These scams involve fake surveys. Upon completing the surveys, the scammers would request for the victims to scan a Singpass QR code with their Singpass app, claiming it was part of the verification process to retrieve their survey results for disbursement of the monetary rewards.”
They further added, “Scammers would proceed to misuse the access by registering businesses, subscribing for new mobile lines or opening new bank accounts under the victim’s name.”
Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/singpss-qr-code-scam-police-warn-2513366
ACRA issued a public advisory to help you stay away from scams. Read on to find more about these security practices.
How to Stay Away from Scams? by ACRA
Although Singpass implements stringent safety measures, you are advised to stay vigilant and follow the following safety practices to stay safe from scammers trying to gain access to your Singpass login details.
- Login Details
Never disclose your Singpass ID, password, and two-factor authentication details to anyone. Also, note that ACRA does not contact customers or send QR codes through SMS, Whatsapp, or other non-official messaging platforms to ask for your Singpass login details.
- Fake Surveys
Scammers may gain access to your login details by claiming to conduct a survey on ACRA’s behalf, asking for information such as your bank account, Singpass ID, etc. However, ACRA has not commissioned any surveys asking for such details. If still in doubt, you can contact them using the online email form available @www.acra.gov.sg/feedback or call their helpdesk at +65-6248-6028.
- Official Government Websites
Before accessing official government websites, always check that the website’s URL ends with ‘gov.sg’. It is advised to type the URLs directly into your browser. However, if you choose to click on any link to government websites, check that the URL ends with gov.sg. Following are the URLs for ACRA’s corporate websites and e-services portals:-
- ACRA corporate website – acra.gov.sg
- BizFile+ filing and information portal – bizfile.gov.sg
- Variable capital company portal – vcc.bizfile.gov.sg
- ACRA API mall – apimall.acra.gov.sg
- Sender of Emails
Emails from ACRA are only from addresses ending with ‘@acra.gov.sg’ and include links only with ‘acra.gov.sg’ and ‘bizfile.gov.sg’. Always verify the sender of the received emails and click on links only from trusted sources. If you want to verify whether the link you received is from ACRA, you can contact their helpdesk for assistance.
For more information on the misuse and scams of Singpass access, you can visit www.scamalert.sg or contact the Anti-Scam Hotline @1800-722-6688.
Seek Professional Guidance
By following the security practices mentioned above, you can stay away from scams related to your Singpass login. Follow the DataTracks blog @ https://www.datatracks.com/sg/blog/ to know more about running a business in Singapore and protecting yourself against fraudulent activities.
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