Police warn of Harvey Norman impersonation scam, victims lost over $4.8 million since January
Members of the public should be wary of scams involving fraudsters impersonating Harvey Norman employees.In an advisory issued on Monday night (Sept 21), police said there has been a surge in such cases, with at least 119 reports lodged since January this year and losses amounting to more than $4.8 million.In these cases, victims received unsolicited calls from scammers claiming to be Harvey Norman employees.The victims were told by the “employees” that they had purchased a television set or had a pending delivery requiring confirmation.Modus operandi: The same red flagsWhen the victims denied making the purchase, the scammers would claim that the victims' personal details had been misused and that further investigations were required.Victims were then transferred to another scammer impersonating a Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) officer, who would accuse them of their involvement in criminal activities such as money laundering.The victims were then asked to transfer money to a "safe account" to facilitate supposed "investigations".