CRIMINAL CAPITLI$M

500 Indian And Sri Lankan Maids Duped In Singapore In 2023 - Here's how it happened?

 By Saumya Joshi | Published: Thursday, April 4, 2024

 In 2023, Singapore witnessed a surge in scam cases, reaching a record high, as disclosed by Home Minister K Shanmugam. These scams predominantly targeted migrants, with an 18 percent rise in reported cases, particularly affecting individuals from India and Sri Lanka. 

The police reported a total of 46,563 scam incidents, resulting in a loss of SGD 651.8 million, marking the highest number of scam cases since tracking began in 2016. Among the victims were approximately 500 foreign maids from South Asian nations, primarily India, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar, who migrate to Singapore seeking better job opportunities, higher wages, and a stable socio-economic environment.

 Maid from Myanmar Falls Victim to Scam via Viber Messaging App in 2020 

In 2020, a maid from Myanmar found herself targeted through the messaging application Viber, where she was contacted by an individual claiming to be a bank staff member. The imposter requested her personal details under the guise of "updating" her ATM card. Unbeknownst to her, approximately SGD2,600 was withdrawn from her account, leaving her with only SGD45. Fortunately, she was able to recover SGD1,700 from the bank, according to a report by a Singaporean newspaper. 

Government Measures to Combat Scam Spike and Protect Migrant Workers Measures to prevent the surge in scams and safeguard migrant workers are being implemented by the government. 

When asked about tracking the number of affected workers and preventive actions, Minister Shanmugam assured that efforts are underway to raise awareness and provide training to workers to recognize and avoid scams. 

The police had previously noted that foreign maids were primarily targeted by phishing, Internet love, and loan scams in 2021. 

Under the Ministry of Manpower's mandatory settling-in program, workers are required to adopt self-protection measures against scams. Additionally, authorities conduct regular anti-scam education initiatives to keep workers informed about the latest scam trends and empower them to advocate for scam prevention within their communities. 

The annual scam statistics for 2023 reveal that Singaporeans have incurred losses exceeding $2.3 billion since 2019. To mitigate the impact of financial scams, efforts are focused not only on educating workers but also on implementing the Domestic Guardians Programme. This program trains migrant domestic workers on preventing common crimes like housebreaking, trespassing, and abuse.