Synopsis: This is a special-edition podcast series by The Straits Times to raise greater public awareness of the modern scourge of scams in Singapore and globally.
In Singapore, nearly $1 billion has been lost by scam victims since 2016. Mutating and spreading, different types of scams have infiltrated every aspect of our lives, from romance to work. The police are cracking down on offenders. What can you do to protect yourself?
In the series’ fourth episode, ST’s deputy news editor Andre Yeo and journalist Osmond Chia speak with OCBC branch manager Leong Wen Xian, 34, who prevented a housewife in her 50s from losing some $200,000 to fraudsters.
Mr Leong also details the challenges brought on by the pandemic in spotting victims and the new innovations OCBC Bank has introduced in 2022 to combat scams.
Highlights (click/tap above):
00:52 How Mr Leong prevented a woman from losing $200,000 to scammers
06:50 Spotting the signs that someone is being scammed
13:19 Why Covid-19 has make it tougher to fight scams
15:09 Mr Leong on the changes OCBC has made to fight scams in 2022
18:08 Tips from Mr Leong on how to avoid falling prey to scams
Listen to earlier Stop Scams podcasts: https://str.sg/wnBi
Ep 1 - Near impossible to recover your money once scammers transfer it out of Singapore
Ep 2 - How scammers are buying bank accounts and digital identities of youth for misuse
Ep 3 - Why children are more susceptible to scams than adults
Produced by: Andre Yeo (andrey@sph.com.sg), Osmond Chia (osmondc@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis and Teo Tong Kai
Edited by: Teo Tong Kai
Read ST's Stop Scams articles: https://str.sg/wWt9
• Anti-Scam Hotline: 1800-722-6688 (9am - 5pm); https://www.scamalert.sg/
• National Care Hotline: 1800-202-6868 (8am - 12am); https://ccs.org.sg/nch/
Follow ST's Stop Scams podcast series here:
Stop Scams Channel: https://str.sg/wuZB
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wu3e
Spotify: https://str.sg/wuJj
Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/wE7S
SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/
Websites: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg
Andre Yeo's articles: https://str.sg/wWtC
Osmond Chia's articles: https://str.sg/wX46
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Discover more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7
The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u
In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt
COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE
Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7
Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN
Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf
Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m
Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE
#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad
Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX
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ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa
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Special edition series:
True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2
Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn
Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB
Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa
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Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB
Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX
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