A scam page promoting discounted Labubu toys led to a police investigation after it falsely claimed to represent Plaza Singapura.
SINGAPORE – A fraudulent Facebook page, claiming to be the official page of Plaza Singapura, has been reported for promoting discounted sales of Labubu figurines, sparking a police investigation. The page falsely claimed that customers queued for up to six hours at the Pop Mart store in Plaza Singapura on November 11 to buy the sought-after limited edition plush toy from Pop Mart, “The Monsters Fall In Wild Series.”
The scam page used a photo of a crowd outside a toy store, though the image does not appear to have been taken in Singapore. The page claimed that due to unexpectedly high demand, not everyone in the queue was able to purchase the dolls. It then directed shoppers to a link offering the toy at a discounted price of $89, significantly lower than the official price of $109.90.
The post included a link leading users to an external site where they were prompted to enter their credentials to complete the purchase. However, the official Pop Mart store in Singapore has been sold out of the dolls, and resellers are charging up to $200 for each one, as the toy has become a global sensation after K-pop star Lisa from Blackpink posted photos with it in April.
In response, a Plaza Singapura spokesperson confirmed that the mall was aware of fraudulent accounts impersonating it on social media. The mall has reported the scam to Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, and filed a police report. The spokesperson also urged customers to visit Plaza Singapura’s official website for accurate information about events and promotions.
E-commerce scams have been on the rise in Singapore, with victims losing a record $385.6 million in the first half of 2024 alone. These scams have become a major concern, with online shopping fraud being the most prevalent type of scam.
