Be Careful Of This Latest Carousell Scam!

There has been a flurry of scams reported and exposed in Singapore recently, including gold scams, kidnap phone scams, credit-for-sex and e-commerce scams, businessmen preying on students with a fake degree scam, and even car rental scams.

You might even have noticed some credit / loanshark scams posting comments on my blog in a bid to advertise themselves to any unsuspecting readers. I've done my best to delete them as soon as I'm notified, but ultimately, for scams that cannot be censored, one must also be responsible and do our own due diligence so that we do not become the next victim.

I use the local Carousell app fairly regularly to get rid of my second-hand items for extra cash, while buying cheap items from someone else whenever I need something. We're all familiar with Carouhell, but a recent post going around seems to suggest that scammers are also now appearing on the app trying to trick unsuspecting victims.

This was originally posted by Gina Ang on Facebook (and republished here with permission).
Note that all images are rightfully credited to Gina Ang.

I only have one word of advice - be discerning.

Remember to check reviews of the sellers or buyers you deal with. It is easier to obtain information about sellers rather than feedback on buyers, but you should still spend a few seconds to check out their profile and past transaction records first before dealing with them.

When you're asked for your bank account details, ALWAYS be extra careful. Basically, anyone who asks you to transfer money first before you get anything from them is always a major red flag.

Be skeptical of what looks like "official" emails (or other forms of communication) from banks or any credit institutions. If need be, call the bank directly to verify if the email or SMS is indeed from them.