Police warn of commission-based Pokémon trading card scams causing S$51,600 losses in Jan 2026

SINGAPORE: The police have reminded the public to remain vigilant against job scams, following reports of schemes involving online tasks linked to digital Pokémon trading cards.

In an advisory issued on 5 February 2026, the police said at least seven such cases have been reported since 1 January.

The total losses from these cases amounted to at least S$51,600.

According to the police, victims typically received unsolicited calls from Malaysian phone numbers. The callers offered job opportunities that involved completing online tasks for commissions.

Victims were instructed to register accounts on websites that appeared to facilitate digital Pokémon trading cards. They were then told to deposit cryptocurrency into these accounts before starting the tasks.

With the deposited funds, victims could select digital Pokémon cards on the website.

They were told they would “earn” commissions based on the value of each selected card.

The commissions were shown as being credited into victims’ accounts on the website.

This created the impression that the tasks were legitimate and profitable.

As victims continued, they encountered higher-value digital cards.

To access these tasks, they were required to make increasingly large cryptocurrency deposits.

In some cases, victims were informed that their accounts had negative balances. They were then asked to make additional deposits to restore their accounts before continuing.

Victims only realised they had been scammed when they attempted to withdraw their supposed earnings. The withdrawals could not be completed, and the website operators became uncontactable.

The police advised the public to be wary of job offers promising high returns for minimal effort. “Do not accept dubious job offers that offer lucrative returns for minimal effort,” the police warned.

Members of the public are encouraged to use the ScamShield app to guard against scam calls and messages. The app allows users to block and report suspected scam communications.

Potential scams can also be verified through official channels, including the ScamShield Helpline at 1799. Suspicious messages, phone numbers, and website links may be checked using the ScamShield app or the official ScamShield website.

The police urged those who encounter scams to alert the authorities as well as their family and friends. Victims should contact their banks immediately to report and block any fraudulent transactions.

They should also lodge a police report as soon as possible. Early reporting may help limit further losses and assist investigations.

Scam losses in Singapore hit S$456 million in first half of 2025

The advisory comes amid continued concern over the scale of scams in Singapore.

In August 2025, the police revealed that scam losses reached S$456.4 million between January and June 2025.

During that period, 19,964 scam cases were reported. Nearly 1,000 people lost at least S$100,000 in the first half of 2025, up from around 700 during the same period in 2024.

Job scams remain a significant contributor to these losses. In the first half of 2025, 2,701 job scam cases were reported, with total losses amounting to S$59 million.

This compares with 5,753 job scam cases reported in the first half of 2024, highlighting persistent risks despite ongoing public education efforts.

The police reiterated that scammers frequently adapt their methods to exploit popular trends, including digital assets and online collectibles. Members of the public are urged to exercise caution and verify offers before committing any funds.