Police warn of fake Lazada prizes with victims cheated of $14,000
UPDATE: Lazada issued a statement
SINGAPORE — At least 14 reports of scams involving fake Lazada campaigns offering prizes were received this year, with at least $14,000 cheated out of victims, said the police on Tuesday (14 May).
In an advisory published on Facebook, the police noted that these scammers would impersonate as the victims’ friends or followers on Instagram.
They would then ask the victims for their contact numbers and photos of their credit or debit cards on the pretext of helping them to sign up for a Lazada campaign to win money.
Common campaign names cited by the scammers include “Lazada Campaign”, “Lazada Raffle”, “Lazada Gift Money” and “Lazada Lucky Draw”, said the police.
Victims were also told to share the One Time Passwords (OTPs) of their bank accounts.
They eventually realised that they were cheated after discovering unauthorised card transactions on their accounts, the police added.
In a statement issued on Tuesday night, Lazada emphasised that customer safety is its top priority.
“Lazada is in no way associated with these scams. All our campaigns and contests are only held on our website, app, and official social media accounts. We would like to remind customers to only conduct transactions on our platforms; never via third-party channels,” said a Lazada spokesperson.
The police advised members of the public to be cautious of unusual requests from strangers or social media contacts.
“Be wary of claims that you have won a prize, especially if you have not participated in any campaign or lucky draw,” the police added.
Those who wish to provide any information related to such scams can call the police hotline at 1800-255-0000, or submit it online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness.
Those who wish to seek advice on the matter can call the anti-scam helpline at 1800-722-6688 or visit www.scamalert.sg.
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