BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: More than BND5.5 million has been lost to phone impersonation scams in Brunei since January this year, with the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) receiving more than 300 reports involving around 600 local phone numbers.
The scammers pose as representatives of government agencies, financial institutions and other organisations, including police officers, magistrates, Electrical Services Department officers, customs officials and bank employees.
According to the RBPF, the callers typically claim that victims have outstanding bank payments or utility bills, or that parcels registered under their names contain ATM cards and SIM cards.
To make their claims appear credible, the scammers use fake documents and identification, including warrant cards, official letters and arrest warrants sent through social media applications.
These tactics are designed to frighten victims into believing the impersonators and following their instructions.
The scams also rely on local SIM cards and bank accounts registered under the names of Bruneians. Some individuals are believed to have handed over or rented out their SIM cards or bank accounts to people they do not know.
The local numbers make the calls appear to originate from within the country, making it harder for potential victims to recognise the fraud.
The police said so-called mule accounts play a key role in the scams by receiving money from victims before transferring it through several accounts, making the flow of funds harder to trace and reducing the chances of recovering the money.
Individuals who hand over or rent out their bank accounts for illegal purposes may also be implicated as accomplices in the scams.
The RBPF advised the public to remain vigilant when receiving suspicious calls or messages and not to disclose personal information, location details or banking information to unknown parties.
Members of the public should verify suspicious claims through the official channels of the relevant agency or institution and avoid transferring money based on questionable instructions.
The police also warned against handing over or renting out SIM cards, or allowing others to use bank accounts registered under their names for unlawful purposes.
Information or enquiries regarding scams can be directed to the Anti-Scam Help Line at 16993. - Borneo Bulletin/ANN
