'I won't let you contact DBS': Senior left helpless as scammers take control of phone
When a woman tried to prevent her father from being scammed, they were taunted by the fraudsters who had taken over the senior's phone using malware."I won't let you contact DBS and fraud team," read the message flashed on the screen of the locked phone.The incident occurred on Tuesday (Sept 22), reported Lianhe Zaobao.Speaking to the Chinese daily, Nicole Laurens, 33, said her elderly father received a WhatsApp message from the "DBS Fraud Department" regarding a suspicious transaction of $50,000 and requesting a call back.Laurens said her father, who is nearing his 70s, called the number written in the message and was asked to provide his banking credentials. He did not comply.Upon learning of his situation, the woman contacted the official bank hotline to verify the message — which was when her father's phone suddenly shut off and displayed the message.A green indicator light also appeared, possibly meaning that an app is using the phone's microphone and camera."My father wasn't using the phone, but it suddenly went black and became completely unresponsive," Laurens added.