Forum: ScamShield’s multi-layered approach protects users from evolving scam threats
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We thank Ms Jeanne Marie Ho Pau Yuen for her letter “Is ScamShield working fast enough?”
ScamShield is designed to protect users by providing early warning signals and disrupting scam activity, while ensuring that legitimate calls and SMS messages are not wrongly blocked.
When users report suspicious phone numbers, messages or links through the ScamShield app, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) reviews these reports to assess whether they are linked to scam activities.
When a number or link is assessed to be potentially involved in scams, the SPF will take actions such as adding it to blocklists. SPF also works closely with industry stakeholders, including telecommunications companies and online platforms, to block mobile lines which are suspected to be involved in scams.
As part of the assessment, SPF considers the number of reports of suspicious activities from multiple users. Time is also needed for verification so as not to block legitimate calls or messages. The complexity of the scam patterns involved can also make it longer to assess and block a number.
While the ScamShield app cannot block phone numbers from being used to contact users through third-party messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram, the app’s check function can still provide alerts by flagging numbers or links that have been reported by other users. This was the case for Ms Ho. She checked the +44 number via the ScamShield app after receiving a message and was informed that the number had been reported by eight other users.
We thank Ms Ho for her feedback and would like to encourage users to continue reporting suspicious activity via the ScamShield app to strengthen the community’s collective defence against scams.
SPF and Open Government Products will continue to enhance ScamShield’s capabilities to provide users with timely information while working to disrupt scam operations.
Superintendent of Police Lin Zhihao
Assistant Director (Media Relations Division)
Public Affairs Department
Singapore Police Force
Reshma Vasu
Senior Product Manager, ScamShield
Open Government Products
