Episode Details

Synopsis: This is a special-edition podcast series by The Straits Times to raise greater public awareness of the modern scourge of scams in Singapore and globally.

In Singapore, nearly $1 billion has been lost by scam victims since 2016. Mutating and spreading, different types of scams have infiltrated every aspect of our lives, from romance to work. The police are cracking down on offenders. What can you do to protect yourself?

In the series’ eighth episode, ST’s deputy news editor Andre Yeo, crime correspondent David Sun and journalist Jessie Lim speak with Mr Brian Bruce, chief of operations at Global Anti Scam Organization (Gaso), who is in charge of its investigations team.

During the episode, Mr Bruce warned about pig butchering scams which combine tactics used in love and investment scams.  

Mr Bruce also mentioned how Gaso - formed in June 2021 - works with government agencies in South-east Asia to secure the release of human trafficking victims duped into working for scam syndicates in Myanmar and Cambodia.

Highlights (click/tap above):

0:40 What the Global Anti Scam Organization (Gaso) does to tackle scams worldwide

3:11 How Mr Bruce lost US$200,000 in a cryptocurrency investment scam in September 2021

9:03 How the pig butchering scam works and its impact on victims 

17:57 Scam syndicates in South-east Asia and their recruitment tactics 

20:05 How scam victims can recover psychologically from a scam 

22:26 How Gaso works with US and South-east Asian law enforcement agencies to secure the release of those lured into working for scam syndicates 

Read ST's Stop Scams articles: https://str.sg/wWt9

• Anti-Scam Hotline: 1800-722-6688 (9am - 5pm); https://www.scamalert.sg/
• National Care Hotline: 1800-202-6868 (8am - 12am); https://ccs.org.sg/nch/

Produced by: Andre Yeo (andrey@sph.com.sg), Jessie Lim (ljessie@sph.com.sg), David Sun (davidsun@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, Teo Tong Kai and Eden Soh

Edited by: Teo Tong Kai

Follow Stop Scams podcast series here:

Channel: https://str.sg/wuZB

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wu3e

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Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/wE7S

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Websites: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Andre Yeo's articles: https://str.sg/wWtC 

David Sun's articles: https://str.sg/wWty

Jessie Lim's articles: https://str.sg/wWtF

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