ChannelNewsAsia reports that in July alone, there were 15 such cases have been reported to the police. In a particular case, a victim was cheated $3000.
A handful of users of an online mobile messaging application LINE have filed police reports of a scam. Their accounts seemed to be hacked into and their contacts were tricked into buying iTune gift cards after receiving messages purportedly sent by the users.
One victim of the scam told Channel NewsAsia: “I went into my Line account and tried to change my password and email address, but I couldn’t do it as the hacker had actually embedded his email address in it. So I decided to send messages one by one to all my friends to warn them to block my nick from their Line account. And they replied saying that they have received such a message from me.”
Do be on the alert when friends asking you to buy gift cards.
本地再出现高科技新骗党，利用智能手机的通讯软件LINE来当工具，先入侵智能手机的通讯软件LINE，冒名向用户的朋友要求送他iTunes Gift Card，有人被骗2250元。
“网鳄”相信成功入侵受害者的LINE户头后，假冒身份发讯息给朋友，还“有来有往”，会以简讯安抚朋友说会还钱，最后朋友打电话询问时，卡内的钱已经被黑客用完了。
其中，被骗走高达2250元的许先生（57岁，司机）告诉《新明日报》记者，一名认识三四十年的朋友上周六（26日）传讯息要他帮忙买3张iTunes Gift Card，每张150元。
“我们都认识30多年了，我没有多问就帮他购买。其实事发数天前朋友曾告诉我自己的LINE遭入侵，但我当下忘记这件事就匆匆去帮忙朋友购买。”