SINGAPORE – To tackle the recent increase in the number of phishing scams, online marketplace Carousell is suspending fraudulent accounts and has introduced a mandatory warning page on its mobile application.
The warning appears when users receive non-Carousell links that may be unsafe.
It is to remind them that the online marketplace would never ask for payment, card and bank details via an external site or an e-mail address.
In December 2022, at least $1 million was lost by at least 1,115 victims to phishing scams involving fake buyers on Carousell.
This amount exceeded the $938,000 lost by at least 975 victims on the platform between January and November 2022, the police said on Sunday.
To protect consumers against such scams, the Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS) said banks will be implementing measures to thwart scammers, which may also result in delays in transactions.
Responding to queries from The Straits Times, Mrs Ong-Ang Ai Boon, director of ABS, said: “We advise customers to be on heightened alert amid widespread phishing scams. Due to operational sensitivities, we are unable to reveal more details on the measures.”
In its response on Sunday, Carousell said its in-app warnings will provide users with a moment to step back and think twice before exiting the platform.
It added: “We have been working closely with the Singapore Police Force to clamp down on the recent phishing cases, taking action swiftly to suspend fraudulent accounts from…
