Singapore police warn of a rapid increase in phishing scams exploiting Apple’s iMessage, with fraudsters impersonating courier companies to steal more than $1.2 million across 251 cases since June, urging users to remain vigilant against sophisticated fake links and impersonation tactics.
Singapore police have warned of a sharp rise in phishing scams that exploit Apple’s iMessage and impersonate courier firms, with losses now topping $1.2 million across at least 251 cases since June 24. In an earlier advisory in July, the Singapore Police Force said it had already recorded at least 43 cases and more than $259,000 in losses, suggesting the fraud wave has accelerated quickly. The scams typically begin with a message that appears to come from DHL, Ninja Van, J&T Express or SingPost and claims that a parcel cannot be delivered because of an invalid address.
The messages often arrive from overseas numbers or email addresses made up of random letters and numbers, and some tell recipients to reply with “Y” or “1” before opening a link. Police said that tactic appears designed to get around iMessage protections that stop users from clicking links until they have interacted with the sender. Victims are then taken to a fake website that mimics a courier’s official page and are asked to pay a supposed redelivery fee.
Once on the site, victims may be prompted to enter card details, internet banking credentials and digital token authorisation. Police said some people later found their cards added to Apple Pay or Google Pay, while others discovered bank tokens had been set up on unfamiliar devices after they shared one-time passwords. Many only realised they had been targeted after spotting unauthorised transactions or log-ins.
Authorities said courier companies do not normally use iMessage to reach customers and instead rely on registered SenderIDs, SMS, WhatsApp or verified business channels. Ninja Van said it may also contact customers through Facebook Messenger and Telegram, while J&T Express Singapore said it does not charge redelivery fees. The police urged people to enable “Filter Unknown Senders” and “Filter Spam” in iMessage, avoid clicking on suspicious links and report doubtful messages through the app’s reporting tools.
Disclaimer: This article is intended to inform and educate, not to recommend or endorse any financial product, investment or strategy. Please consider your own financial circumstances and seek professional advice where appropriate before making financial decisions.
