Ms Eileen Ong, 33, loves surfing for bargains online.

So when she came across a Facebook advertisement last month offering cheap seafood – at a 20 per cent discount – it was a deal too good to resist.

But instead of placing an immediate order, the education consultant applied a healthy dose of scepticism.

“I did a quick Google search on the company, and found good customer reviews and no complaints. Scrolling through their social media, I saw that their Facebook posts dated back to 2017. This means the Facebook page is not recently created – a common red flag for suspicious accounts and scams,” Ms Ong says.

Satisfied with her investigation, she reached out to the business via Facebook messenger to place her order.

Even then, Ms Ong took additional steps to safeguard herself. She imposed a transaction limit on her PayNow account through her mobile banking app. And she placed just a few items in her first order to “test the waters”.

Why so careful? “Having read so many scam stories in the news over the past few months, I’ve become much more prudent. While online shopping is really convenient, it doesn’t feel as safe as it used to be.”

Though Ms Ong received her order of frozen unagi (eel) and squid a few days after payment, she is not letting her guard down. “It’s better to be safe than sorry.”

Don’t rush or be rash

Singapore Police Force (SPF) figures reveal that 4,516 residents fell prey to e-commerce scams in the first half of 2023 – the second-highest number of reported cases among all scam types.

Typically, these scams involve the sales of goods and services without a meet-up. The victims would encounter enticing deals online, and fail to receive goods or services after paying.

At times, victims may be asked to download apps to make payment for products, reserve a service, or facilitate a refund. Scammers will then claim they are unable to fulfil the order after an initial deposit is made. These apps contain malware and allow scammers to take control of victims’ devices, accessing their personal information and banking details.