SingPass Users Warned by IDA about Phishing Email

Todayonline.com published news on 25th June, 2015 quoting a recent warning of Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) as "Users of SingPass should be cautious of fraudulent emails which claim that their PINs have been suspended."

Especially, SingPass or "Singapore Personal Access" grants residents of Singapore their access to 340 e-government services and IDA (Infocomm Development Authority) is responsible for the development and growth of the Infocomm sector in Singapore.

IDA posted on the Facebook saying that some users of SingPass have received a phishing email titled "SingPass account security info verification" from "SingPass Government (notification@singpass-services.gov.sg)." The email said that SingPass PINs of recipients had been suspended and gave a link to enable them to click on to confirm their email address.

IDA in a Facebook post made it clear that it was actually a phishing email not dispatched by SingPass and if you get this email, avoid clicking on the link and just delete it.

Phishing is a illegally fraudulent process through which a cybercriminal tries to trick users in disclosing his/her sensitive personal details using fraudulent email (like the above case) or fake website of mobile application. The attacker creates a seemingly genuine email for users requesting them to perform some actions. Then crooks provide a hyperlink to a fraudulent website created by them, where the users execute the said actions (For example, in the above case they are asked to confirm their email addresses) thereby crooks capture personal information of these users.

SingPass on its official website highlights some simple tips to minimize the chance of being victimized by such phishing scams. These include: Change your SingPass regularly, e.g. every 90 days, log off your online session once you have finished your transactions and never access online services with your SingPass at any Internet cafes or using mobile devices of others.

However, if you think that you could have been a victim of 'phishing', then please immediately lodge a report at singpass-helpdesk@crimsonlogic.com or call the hotline of SingPass at 6887-7377. This will help SingPass to identify any fraudulent emails, websites or mobile applications which are attempting to collect sensitive information of SingPass holders and take actions against them.

» SPAMfighter News - 7/2/2015