Received this email from 'TP'? Beware not to fall for parking fine scam

Have you received an email purportedly from the 'Traffic Police'? Beware, this is probably a fake email, warn the Singapore Police Force (SPF).

SPF put out an advisory warning on their Facebook page yesterday, warning of the scam that has been circulating via email recently.

The police warned that this was the latest variant of a scam in which scammers try to impersonate a police officer.

The fake email typically informs the recipient about a parking fine which needs to be paid and that a court appearance is required.

Within the email, the recipients are given a link to a website and a phone number to call where they can pay their fine using a credit card.

The Facebook posting contained a screenshot showing the fake email sent by the scammers impersonating as the TP officer.

The police also clarified that the both the website and the phone number listed in the fake email do not belong to the SPF.

SPF also stated that the email was not disseminated by the TP or the Land Transport Authority (LTA), and that no government agency will ask people to make a payment through a telephone call, especially to a third party's bank account.

The police also advised members of the public to take the following precautions when they receive such emails, especially from unknown parties:

1) Ignore the emails and do not respond to them.

2) Do not click on any links or open any file attachments inside the fake email as they may be malicious.

3) Ignore instructions to remit or transfer money.

4) Refrain from giving out personal information and bank details, whether on the website or to callers over the phone. Personal information and bank details such as internet bank account usernames and passwords, OTP codes from tokens, are useful to criminals.

If you have information related to such crimes or if you are in doubt, please call the Police hotline at 1800-255-0000, or submit the information online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness.

Please dial ‘999’ if you require urgent Police assistance.

To seek scam-related advice, members of the public may call the anti-scam helpline at 1800-722-6688 or go to www.scamalert.sg.

Please share this advisory with family and friends to prevent them from being the next scam victim!