--- title: "The Most Expensive Words in Singapore: Which Scam Phrases Cost the Most?" description: "Which scam phrases cost Singaporeans the most? We match common scam lines to SPF's 2025 loss data, from fake police calls to \"guaranteed\" returns." image: https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/hubfs/_DSC0126-jpg.jpeg --- [Skip to content](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/blog/most-expensive-scam-phrases-singapore#main-content) [![Full\_COlour](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Full_COlour.png?width=456&height=80&name=Full_COlour.png)](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/) - [Retirement Marketspace](https://retirementmarketspace.thefinancialcoconut.com/) - [Events](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/events) Show submenu for Events - [For Investors](https://tfcmysterymeetup.com/) - [For Business Owners & Creators](https://ipcreatorunite.peatix.com/) - [For Salaried Workers](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/thought-leadership-series) - [TFC Events](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/events) - [Shows](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/tfc-shows) Show submenu for Shows - [Wise and Shine](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/wise-and-shine) - [The Business Show](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/tfc-business-show) - [Chills with TFC](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/chills-with-tfc) - [Blog](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/blog) Show submenu for Blog - [Work Smart](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/worksmart) - [Invest](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/invest) - [Retire Well](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/retire-well) - [Business](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/business) Open main navigation Close main navigation - [Retirement Marketspace](https://retirementmarketspace.thefinancialcoconut.com/) - [Events](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/events) Show submenu for Events - [For Investors](https://tfcmysterymeetup.com/) - [For Business Owners & Creators](https://ipcreatorunite.peatix.com/) - [For Salaried Workers](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/thought-leadership-series) - [TFC Events](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/events) - [Shows](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/tfc-shows) Show submenu for Shows - [Wise and Shine](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/wise-and-shine) - [The Business Show](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/tfc-business-show) - [Chills with TFC](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/chills-with-tfc) - [Blog](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/blog) Show submenu for Blog - [Work Smart](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/worksmart) - [Invest](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/invest) - [Retire Well](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/retire-well) - [Business](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/business) - [Contact us](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/contact-us) [Contact us](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/contact-us) Oct 27, 2026, 10:00:00 AM # The Most Expensive Words in Singapore: Which Scam Phrases Cost the Most? ![Picture of The Financial Coconut](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Square%20(2)-3.png?width=50&name=Square%20(2)-3.png) [The Financial Coconut](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/blog/author/the-financial-coconut) Share: [facebook-f icon](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/blog/most-expensive-scam-phrases-singapore) [linkedin-in icon](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/blog/most-expensive-scam-phrases-singapore) [envelope icon](mailto:?body=https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/blog/most-expensive-scam-phrases-singapore) [Share this page](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/blog/most-expensive-scam-phrases-singapore) [![Follow The Financial Coconut](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/46975693/interactive-182431637553.png)](https://cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/web-interactives/public/v1/track/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLL2CjCe42iR2RH2MpVX0Ej%2BKJQ%2F3A0Z7pXnUs35To%2Bo6nbKcpBVq9I98X5NUungVEwfs5YCKuM%2FaP97VxIITkTlihT57%2F%2F4XDW9rT3VR4MatSLDi%2BMU5mbQqihfX3LRRz83ij8K19OiD8UXy8sdct4t0Q%3D%3D&webInteractiveContentId=182431637553&portalId=46975693)   **TL;DR:** The most expensive scam phrases in Singapore sound official, not greedy. Lines from fake police or bank officers cost victims an average of S$72,229 per case in 2025, more than any other scam type, and 81.8% of scams worked because victims made the transfer themselves. ## Why are scam phrases so expensive in Singapore? Scammers rarely need to hack anything. Singapore Police Force (SPF) figures show that 81.8% of reported scams in 2025 involved self-effected transfers, where victims moved the money themselves after being talked into it. Across 37,308 scam cases, victims lost about S$913.1 million. That is the idea behind Maybank Singapore's "The Most Expensive Words", a calligraphy exhibition with the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts Centre for Lifelong Education (NAFA CLE). Familiar scam phrases become artworks, each priced at the 2025 losses linked to it. It runs at NAFA Campus 2 on Bencoolen Street until 1 November 2026, with free admission. ![](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/hs-fs/hubfs/_DSC0126-jpg.jpeg?width=4000&height=6000&name=_DSC0126-jpg.jpeg) ## Which scam phrases cost Singaporeans the most? The lines below are paraphrased from scam scripts described in SPF's 2025 brief, matched to each scam type's losses. | What you might hear | Scam type | Total lost (2025) | Average per case | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | "Your account is linked to money laundering. Move your savings to a safety account." | Government officials impersonation | S$242.9m | S$72,229 | | "Guaranteed returns, very low risk. Join our investing group." | Investment | S$336.2m | S$61,559 | | "Earn commission from home. Just rate a few hotels." | Job | S$123.5m | S$22,163 | | "We need to verify your account. Please read out your OTP." | Phishing | S$39.9m | S$6,384 | | "Pay a deposit now to secure your Pokémon card pre-order." | E-commerce | S$16.7m | S$2,503 | ## Why do official-sounding words cost more than greedy ones? Investment scams still take the biggest total, but per case, fear outspends greed. A fake officer does not ask you to want more money. He asks you to protect what you already have, and to keep it quiet. That is why people comply fast. The pressure lands hardest on older Singaporeans. In 2025, 21.0% of elderly victims fell for government officials impersonation scams, and the average loss per elderly victim was S$37,053, the highest of any age group. In the first half of 2026, total scam losses fell 17.9% to S$410.6 million, yet the average elderly loss rose to S$42,347. Professionals are not immune either. As OCBC's Head of Group Anti-Fraud Beaver Chua discussed on [Chills with TFC episode 258](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/blog/chillswithtfc-258), pressure and secrecy do the heavy lifting, not victims' carelessness. Warm words work too, just more slowly: on [Chills with TFC episode 289](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/blog/chillswithtfc-289), Kevin shares how talk of family and long-term relationships in a property-investing community blurred his sense of risk as the sums grew. ![](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/hs-fs/hubfs/_DSC0116-jpg-1.jpeg?width=6000&height=4000&name=_DSC0116-jpg-1.jpeg) ## Which words should make you stop and check? Some sentences are red flags no matter who seems to be saying them. SPF states that Singapore Government officials will never, over a phone call: - ask you to transfer money - ask for your banking log-in details - ask you to install apps from unofficial app stores - transfer your call to the police CPF Board adds that it calls only from 6227 1188 and never calls via WhatsApp. If you hear any of these, hang up and call the 24/7 ScamShield Helpline at 1799. Then put friction between the words and your money: - **Money Lock:** about 589,000 bank customers had locked up close to S$49 billion as at 30 June 2026. - **CPF Withdrawal Lock:** disables online CPF withdrawals until you switch it off. - **CPF Safety Switch (aged 55 and above):** immediately shuts off CPF online services and stops withdrawals if you suspect a scam. - **CPF Trusted Contacts (aged 21 and above):** up to two people receive copies of alerts for important transactions. Protecting your parents' savings is as much part of [retiring well](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/retire-well) as growing your own. The costliest scam lines in Singapore borrow authority, urgency and secrecy. Learn the few sentences no real official will ever say, set up your locks before you need them, and send this list to the family group chat. For more honest conversations about protecting and growing your money, follow The Financial Coconut and join our community via [linkin.bio/thefinancialcoconut](https://linkin.bio/thefinancialcoconut). ## FAQ 1. **What are common scam phrases in Singapore?** Common scam phrases include claims that your bank account is linked to money laundering, offers of guaranteed low-risk returns, easy work-from-home commissions, requests to read out your OTP, and deposits for pre-orders. These match the top scam types in SPF's 2025 data. 2. **Which scam type costs Singaporeans the most money?** Investment scams had the highest total losses in 2025, at about S$336.2 million. Government officials impersonation scams had the highest average loss per case, at about S$72,229. 3. **Will the police or CPF Board ever ask me to transfer money over the phone?** No. Singapore Government officials will never ask you to transfer money, share banking log-in details, install unofficial apps or transfer your call to the police. CPF Board calls only from 6227 1188. If unsure, call the ScamShield Helpline at 1799. 4. **Where is Maybank's "The Most Expensive Words" exhibition?** It is at the Fashion Gallery, NAFA Campus 2, 38 Bencoolen Street, from 23 October to 1 November 2026, 10am to 6pm daily. Admission is free. #### References - Singapore Police Force, [Annual Scam and Cybercrime Brief 2025](https://www.police.gov.sg/-/media/SPF/Advisories/Scams/Annual-Scam-and-Cybercrime-Brief-2025.pdf) - Singapore Police Force, [Mid-Year Scam and Cybercrime Brief 2026](https://www.police.gov.sg/-/media/SPF/Media-Room/Statistics/Mid-Year-Scam-and-Cybercrime-Brief-2026/Mid-Year-Scam-and-Cybercrime-Brief-2026.pdf) - CPF Board, [CPF account safeguards](https://www.cpf.gov.sg/member/account-services/fighting-scams/cpf-account-safeguards) - Maybank Singapore, "The Most Expensive Words" Let us know what you think about this topic, and what do you want to hear next. You can now be our community contributor and make a [pitch](https://thefinancialcoconut.com/contact/)to have your favourite personality be on our show. 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