Chain mail has begun as early as the use of email has existed. They begun with scams threatening you that if you do not forward to a number of friends, something bad will happen to you. Then, some very nasty people invented scams like the following:
Dear : All,
Hello, My name is Krista Marie and I have a new born baby named Natalie.
She means the world to me, and just recently, the doctors have discovered that my little Natalie has "Brain Cancer."
Unfortunatly my husband and I don't have the money to pay for the bill.
But my husband and I have worked out a deal with AOL and they have agreed to give us 5 cents to each person that received this e-mail.
So please, forward this to everyone you know, and help out my little Natalie and I.
Thank you.
Your Sincere :
Krista Marie
* This is NOT a joke e-mail, this is regarding to save a new Life. Please dtake this message seriously. Thank you!
We do not know if Krista Marie and Natalie are real people. However, the whatever "deal" with AOL is definitely a scam because there is no way AOL can know if anyone has received the forwarded email, at least not by sending the image as an attachment. The number of viewers may be tracked if the image is being hosted by AOL and is embedded as HTML inside the email.
We strongly despise scammers who create such prank since it will greatly kill the morale of kind souls in the world.
The image's description reads: "按share，你就会看到他们在走动!"
Direct translation to English: Press share, you will see them move.
By sharing any item on Facebook, Facebook does not display any special effect. The image is just a static image, which will not move.
Sharing the image will not harm you, your computer or privacy, but you may be mocked by others.
This can be considered as a prank, unless the person who posts or re-posts it has the intention of drawing people to his/her profile for marketing purpose.
The image is posted by a Facebook user Cindy Yow. We are not able to identify if she the originator of the prank/scam.
Recently, there are cases of people being rang up regarding free Singapore Zoological Gardens tickets. The caller has claimed that the owner of the phone number has won free tickets to the Singapore Zoo but they have to reveal their identification (IC) numbers and other details in order to get the tickets. Since the scammer may have taken the phone number from the phone directory, the scammer may also know victim's name, which make the scam look more convincing.
The Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS), which runs the Singapore Zoo has announced that the free tickets distribution is a hoax.
This could be either a prank to make the victims to go down all the way to the Zoo to collect their "free" tickets or simply a scam to steal their IC numbers.
We are not sure what can the scammer do with the name, IC and phone numbers of the victims. It may be useful in cracking SingPass since the login requires the user's IC number, together with a password, and the user may have used his/her phone number as the password. Similar to some Internet Banking, IC number is the login. The scammer may also collect the IC number before lying low temporary and strike the victim off-guarded - there are new scam methods emerging everyday and do expect the unexpected.
If this scam is purely a prank, the scammer has probably done the Singapore Zoo a big favour for the free marketing. McDonald's place advertisements every now and then to create an impression on the public and the Singapore Zoo will definitely need it as well and they get it for free this time. Victims may also lead their family members down to collect the "free" tickets and they will eventually buy the tickets since they are already there. Many families in Singapore are busy with work and will rarely find time to get together. We hereby represent Singapore Zoo and the affected victims to thank the scammer.
Nevertheless, we would like to urge the public not to be easily taken in by such phone scam. Do not trust a caller completely. If you have won a prize from a big company, they will mail you a letter instead. And also, a decent company does not even need you to verify yourself since it is not a guess-and-win phone game. Please feel odd when the caller starts asking you for sensitive information. Big companies will also not use private number to call you.
We would encourage the public not to take up any random street survey, which the surveyor may lead you to provide your details.
Recently, there are a number of attempted kidnapping news circulating in Facebook, stating that young children are nearly grabbed and taken (abducted) by PRC Chinese.
Allison Goon:
I was in Ang mo kio hub fiesta today and they having a magic show in b1. When I finish feeding him the food he was following me to throwing the rubbish suddenly I turn back I can't find him
Nope when i turn back I saw a lady holding my son hand and my son follow her
I shouted my son name and asking her y u hold my son hand ? The lady saying opps I holding a wrong child .. I oso saw her with a man 2 of them just pretending nothing and walk away
I did asking my son y u follow the lady when u don't know her at all, he reply me saying: jeh jeh saying u follow me and I will bring u home
The first news was contributed by a Facebook user by the name of "Allison Goon". The actual date should be around 18 March 2012. She was watching a magic show at Ang Mo Kio Hub with her son who followed behind her while she went to the litter bin. She turned back to see a lady holding her son's hand before she approached the lady. The lady claimed that she had held the wrong child in a heavy PRC accent. Then, the lady walked off with another man. The son told his mum that the lady had asked him to follow her and thus, it was not a case of "holding wrong hand". The manager of Ang Mo Kio Hub has confirmed the incident and the mother has lodge a police report.
On 23 March 2012, a grandmother reported to the police that a woman had tried to lure her 10-year-old grandson into a van outside his school in Simei Street 5.
Hwai Kee:
My son was almost pushed away in a stroller at north point. We were looking into the baby spa when I turn around, saw a china man holding 1handle of my son stroller,luckily my maid was hold the other.he was probably waiting for my maid to be careless and let go,when I turned ard and stare at him,he walked away suspiciously. Was too angry and forgot to snap a picture of him!
On Tuesday 27 March 2012, another Facebook user said a Chinese man tried to abduct her young son at Northpoint mall in Yishun.
Iryna Tang:
Another child abduction alert!! Happened to my sil juz ytd. She pickin my 2nieces fr cc. Her hand holdin 2yo n another hold umbrella. Told her 5yo to walk in front of her so she can watch. Then suddenly a woman came out to grab 5yo han. My sil shouted at her n she ran off. At bukit panjang area...
Then, a Facebook user said a Chinese woman had tried to abduct her five-year-old niece near a Bukit Panjang community centre.
Police are still investigating the cases while they advise public not to spread rumours, which may create unnecessary fears.
Regardless of the truthfulness of the reports, parents should always ensure that they keep a good watch over their children. They should also educate their children not to follow strangers.
The outburst of the kidnapping news may in turn be helpful in building better relationship among the family members as parents will take extra care of their children.
Singapore is a small country surrounded by sea and two causeways linked to Malaysia. Even though our security may not be the best in the world, no one can deny that it is reasonably efficient and better than our neighbouring countries - less Mas Selamat's case. With the size, geographical location and good security, any kidnapper should really think thrice before trying it over here.
Taking the opportunity of the widespread of news regarding the attempted abduction cases, someone has posted in Facebook regarding a "true" kidnap case at Tampines Street 22. As there is no police report being made regarding any lost child by anyone, the police has identified the rumour as a hoax. We would like to say "good luck" to the person who has started the fake rumour, which had caused an alarm to the public.
