Scams have become one of Singapore's most common crimes, and the police force's own Crimewatch series keeps featuring them case after case. That's why the city-state now runs a 24-hour lifeline dedicated to them: the 1799 ScamShield Helpline, launched in September 2024 as part of the ScamShield Suite, a joint effort between the National Crime Prevention Council, the Singapore Police Force and Open Government Products.

The numbers show how much it's needed. The helpline has taken more than 310,000 calls since launch and still fields around 500 every day. Per the police force's Mid-Year Scam and Cybercrime Brief 2026, e-commerce scams led in the first half of the year at 23% of cases, followed by phishing (18.5%), then investment and job scams (13.4% each) and government official impersonation (8.1%). Demand grew so fast that operations relocated in July 2025 from the Police Cantonment Complex to a larger Certis facility in Bedok, where more than ten agents are on duty at any time, staffing flexed to call volumes.

Most scams, the helpline's team notes, follow the same script: an enticing offer — a hot investment tip, a romance — then escalating pressure through urgency, fear or emotional manipulation once trust is built. Calling 1799 before any money moves gives trained agents a chance to walk you through the red flags in real time. There's also an automated option (press 1) that connects scam victims directly with their bank. A writer from The Smart Local who tried a simulated agent shift found out how hard the job is: convincing a panicking caller — told by a fake 'police officer' to transfer money over a bogus credit card case — took a stressful ten minutes of reassurance before he agreed to visit a real police station.

For extra protection, the free ScamShield app (iOS and Android) filters scam calls and SMSes, blocks reported numbers, checks suspicious links, and lets you upload screenshots of dodgy messages from SMS, WhatsApp or Telegram. You can look up any unfamiliar number to see if other users have already flagged it — and report new ones to protect everyone else.

Why should travellers care? Tourists are prime scam targets: you're unfamiliar with local procedures, distracted, and often quick to comply with anyone claiming official authority. Whether it's a 'government officer' demanding a transfer, a too-cheap online listing, or a strange WhatsApp message from a 'friend', a quick call to 1799 from any Singapore phone gets you free, round-the-clock guidance in the moment — before your money disappears. Save the number before you fly.