At least nine reports of people being cheated into buying bogus packages passing off as private-hire car service promotional deals have been made to the police since last week.
The total amount scammed was at least $7700, police said in an advisory on Wednesday (Feb 22).
Victims were introduced to cheap “Grab/Uber promotional packages” through friends who had come across the advertisements by word of mouth.
They were then asked to contact the seller via online messaging app WhatsApp and were instructed to transfer money to bank accounts to buy the packages.
However, after making payments, victims were not able to redeem the rides and the seller became uncontactable.
The police advised the public to purchase rides only from the official sources and to be careful when purchasing items at prices that sound too good to be true.
When in doubt, consumers can call the anti-scam helpline at 1800-722 6688 or visit https://www.scamalert.sg.
Related story: Passengers happier with Uber, Grab than cabs
Related story: Stiffer penalties now in place for private-hire operators that flout rules
