Home owners receive letter from scammers impersonating URA officer

SINGAPORE — The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has made a police report after some home owners received scam letters masquerading as a URA notice.

URA said on Thursday (Dec 5) that the letters requested private home owners to transfer a "validation fee" to a bank account, which would allow tenants to register for tenancy.

The letter sported URA's logo, physical address and website link, and was signed off by an "Andrew Chia", who claimed to be the agency's head of registration of lease (consumer).

The agency said it did not send out the letter, and added that it does not require private home owners to register their tenants.

"We also do not require validation fees to be paid," said URA.

"In addition, there is no registration of the lease department, nor staff named Andrew Chia in URA."

The agency has made a police report, and advised members of the public to do the same if they receive such letters.

More than 100 cases of official impersonation scams were reported in September, with victims losing at least $6.7 million in total.

Victims received phone calls from scammers posing as officials from major banks such as DBS, OCBC, UOB or Standard Chartered, said the police and Monetary Authority of SIngapore (MAS) in a joint statement on Oct 10.

URA also advised members of the public against accessing URL links provided in unsolicited e-mails, text messages and letters.

Personal and financial information such as Singpass login credentials, debit or credit card details, and online banking details should never be shared with anyone, said URA.

"Government organisations do not ask for these details," it added.

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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.