Police warn of scams impersonating staff from educational institutions, losses over $31k

The police have warned members of the public to be vigilant against a scam variant that targets victims via emails that impersonate educational institutions.

Since this month, there have been about 20 cases reported, with total losses amounting to at least $31,000.

In an advisory issued on Thursday (March 19), the police said that victims would receive emails requesting for urgent payment of their outstanding school or tuition fees. 

These emails were sent from accounts belonging to fellow students but taken over by scammers, or from email domains that resemble the official accounts of these institutions.

Victims were asked to transfer money to a bank account and warned that failure to do so would result in actions being taken by the school's "litigation department".

They would only realise that they have been scammed after seeking clarification from their school, or after receiving relevant alerts and anti-scam advisories.

Members of the public are advised to exercise caution when receiving emails requesting for school fees through direct payment, immediate bank transfers, or payment links outside official school portals.

Those who have received such emails should check with the relevant institutions via official channels before transferring any fees, especially for unscheduled payment requests.

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editor@asiaone.com