Unusual Internet Love Scam

Recently, an internet love scam has created a stir in Singapore.

Yap Siew Ting, 17, and her boyfriend, Alexander Soh Zhi Ren, 21, are being charged over certain crimes. They have managed to persuade victims to appear naked in front of webcam and even masturbate for the girl while they secretly recorded/filmed the process. Eventually, they started extorting money from the victims, threatening them that the videos would be circulated online if they refused to abide to the terms. More than S$100,000 was extorted from the victims.

This is one of the most unusual online scams ever exposed in Singapore. How many people would expect such thing to happen to male victims? Moreover, extortion is always deemed as a major crime in Singapore and thus, most people are quite unlikely to expect it to happen.

This also reflects badly on our society for a 17-year-old girl to showcase her body in the hope of earning trust of her victims. Her boyfriend who is supposed to safeguard her from other guys is making use of her body for the unlawful gain.

Nonetheless, this is a wake-up call for all males not only in Singapore but all over the world.

If you have frequented social networking websites often, you may actually get to see very sexual remarks and requests from guys on girls' profiles. These people are easier to be targeted since they are more open. However, scammmers may prefer potential victims who are less experienced.


We have analysed and pointed out some issues, which guys should take note of.

1. Look into the mirror. Are you so attractive that a girl is dying so badly to see more of you?

2. Hot girls are surrounded by guys, especially when social networking websites are so common; hence, what makes you think the "chiobu" has time to entertain you?

3. Girls in Singapore are generally not as bold as other countries' and do you really think you are this lucky to meet one here?

4. How long have you talked to the girl to make her so fascinated or obsessed over you?

5. Technology is good enough that there are many free screen-capturing software for video-capturing. Besides that, mobile phones with video camera feature is even more common.


Guys really need to reflect on their conducts over the internet. However, girls should also take note of this incident as well.

Tips to Secure Credit Card Details

On 28 February 2012, Mr Lin found out that someone had used his credit card to buy Malaysian and Sri Lanka airline tickets, total about $10,000 in transactions.

Later, Mr Lin figured out that the transaction was made through internet.

When he was asked if he had given away his credit card's details within the past few months, he answered no.

For Mr Lin's case, he was lucky that his bank would be taking care of the issue for him, which would also mean that he would not have suffered any loss in the end. However, he would need to have his credit replaced, causing some inconvenience.

Tips to Secure Your Credit Card Details

Some websites may require users to provide the details of their credit cards to sign up for something or just an account with the website. They claim that they will not charge any amount as long as the user does not purchase any item or credit from them. We should always reserve our doubts.

Some trusted merchant websites may keep your credit card information with them after you make purchase. This is designed for your convenience so that you need not re-enter your credit card's details for your next purchase. Although you may trust the website, do note that even the Americans' government websites can be hacked - your data on the web can never be 100% secured.

One possibility is that Mr Lin's computer has been infested by virus. Moreover, as smart phones such as iPhone become an essential gadget, more people have been going online with their phones and even making purchases. However, most users do not install anti-virus software or application inside their smart phones; therefore, making the mobile device more vulnerable to attacks.

If you are travelling overseas and need to use your credit card for payment at places such as restaurant, try paying up at the cashier counter personally. It is possible for someone to duplicate your credit card within a short period of time. It is good that you can keep your eyes on your credit card.

Facebook Scam - McDonald's Voucher

This is the latest scam in Facebook. A Facebook event is created by a Facebook page, stating that McDonald's is giving away free vouchers. You have to invite your friends to the event in order to qualify for the voucher.

Facebook event doesn't track how many friends you have invited!

How is it that they know that you have invited 50 or 500 friends to get the $20 or $150 voucher?

This is a scam just to get people to invite more people to their scam website.

There is no free McVoucher!

Facebook Scam McDonald's Voucher Event (deleted)
https://www.facebook.com/events/331097216941207/?notif_t=event_invite

From the Facebook event:

Celebrating a whopping $50 billion revenue in 2011, McDonalds has decided to give away Free Vouchers to our loyal customers.

How does this work? Follow these steps :

Step 1 : Click on "Join" at the top of the page.
... ...
Step 2 : Click " Invite Friends" at the top of the page and select your friends and click SUBMIT. Voucher Price depends upon amount of friends you invite.

Invite 50 Friends = $20 Voucher
Invite 100 Friends = $50 Voucher
Invite 200 Friends = $100 Voucher
Invite 500 Friends = $150 Voucher

[NOTE : To select friends faster, press TAB and SPACE repeatedly.]

Step 3 : http://www.getavoucher.info/ < Go here after completing above two steps to get your voucher. McVoucher

Facebook Scam McDonald's Voucher Page - GiftsM
https://www.facebook.com/pages/GiftsM/334828446559370

From Facebook users on the Facebook Page:

Adam Talley: I love how people are falling for this McScam thing that everyone is sending each other. please people don't fall for this voucher thing. you have to buy stuff just do get it (if it even exists) along with giving away all your personal info. name, email, home mail, home phone, ect... then right on the page and in the TOC it stats they can sell this info to 3rd party company's, and even more company's there affiliated with. who knows how many company's that are buying up your info 100, 1000, or even more... ever wonder why your email address receives tons of spam mail, why your phone rings off the hook with 1800 bs numbers, surveys, subscription offers ect, even when your unlisted, and those stupid your a winner, and other crap you get it the mailbox? this is how! so please be smart and stay away from this stuff. #RealTalk

Candice Wood-Dubois: This is BS!!!!! I sent invitations to all of my friends 300+ went to get my voucher & couldn't get it! The site wanted me to particiapte in surveys & apply for credit cards! GRRRRRRRRR!!!!

Please help to report the scam to Facebook by going to the Facebook event (deleted) and Facebook page, on the left column and click on "Report" and report them as "Spam or scam".

Is this Email a Scam?

It has been very common to receive weird and interesting emails from your friends these days.

Hackers have many ways to hack into users' emails accounts and mass send scam emails to email addresses in their contact list.

Below is an example of a freshly generated very interesting email:

Hello, How are you? i do hope that you receive this email in good health. I am presently in England London to be with my ill Cousin, he's suffering from a critical uterine fibroid and must undergo a hysterectomy surgery to save his life . I am deeply sorry for not writing or calling you before leaving, the news of his illness arrived to me as an emergency and that he needs family support to keep him going, I hope you understand my plight and pardon me.

I want to transfer him back home to have the surgery implemented there because hysterectomy surgery is very expensive here, Am wondering if you can be of any assistance to me, I need about ($2,500) to make the necessary arrangement; I traveled with little money due to the short time I had to prepare for this trip and never expected things to be the way it is right now. I'll surely pay you back once I get back home, I need to get him home ASAP because he is going through a lot of pain at the moment and the doctor have advised that it necessary that the tumor is operated soon to avoid anything from going wrong. I'll reimburse you at my return.

Is this email a scam?

Obviously, yes, this is a very common online scam tactic.

If your friend is desperate for money, he will be very direct in his email and not waste time giving fanciful greetings. As much as he tries to be polite, he should have greeted you by your name. This email shows that the sender does not even know who you are.

Do not forget about the technology has advanced so fast that there is MSN, Skype, Yahoo Messenger and even social networking sites such as Facebook. If I were in his situation, I would try these media, where I can talk to friends who are online at the point of time, instead of sending email, which the response is likely to be slower.

Do not neglect the usual typing tone of your friend. In Singapore, many people uses Singlish LAH. Do you think your friend has suddenly become proficient in his English language? Many people R nt used to type in proper English animore, dun u tink so?