Why people fall prey to scammers posing as police officers

Why are so many falling for government official impersonation scams?

Mr Jeffrey Chin, deputy director of the Scam Public Education Office, SPF, points to two reasons: The high level of trust in authorities in Singapore, and scammers’ use of psychological techniques to influence victims.

Scammers instil fear in victims by accusing them of being involved in a criminal offence, explains Mr Chin.

“They exploit victims’ trust in authority figures and create situations where victims (get) limited time to make decisions,” he adds. “Some may even use ‘props’ such as fake warrant cards or documents to (make themselves seem legitimate).”