Received a Google Meet video call from police? Scammers trick victims out of $32k


PUBLISHED ONApril 20, 2026 1:59 AMUPDATEDApril 21, 2026 6:57 AMBYSean LerIf you receive a Google Meet video call from individuals claiming to be police officers, do not provide your personal banking information, or you may be the next victim of a scam.
This scam variant was revealed by the police in a news release on Sunday (April 19), following losses amounting to at least $32,000 in some 13 cases reported to the police since April 1.
According to the police, victims would purportedly receive unsolicited Google Meet video calls from scammers dressed in police uniforms impersonating officers.
They may also use the police's logo as their profile picture and use words such as "police" and "Singapore" in their email addresses.
Victims would be told that there are issues with their bank cards or accounts. They would also be asked to provide their internet banking, card credentials and/or One-Time Password (OTP), for the purpose of investigations.
They would only realise that they have been scammed after realising that unauthorised transactions were made with their bank accounts.
A Google spokesperson told AsiaOne that users can can check the "only contacts can call me" setting on their Google Meet to block phishing and impersonation attempts.
Users are also encouraged to report spam or abuse directly within a call, including suspicious behaviour.
Members of the public are reminded that government officials will never ask them to transfer or hand over valuables to anyone. They will also not be asked to disclose banking login details, install mobile apps from unofficial app stores or have their call transferred to the police or other government officials.
If in doubt, members of the public should tell the authorities, family members or friends about the encounter and report any fraudulent transactions to their bank immediately.
They may also call the 24/7 ScamShield Helpline at 1799.
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