Woman left with 12 cents in bank account after son falls for phishing scam while selling watch on Carousell

A woman had her bank account balance wiped out by scammers after her son keyed in her details on a spoofed Carousell website.

Left with a mere 12 cents, the car workshop owner said she had to withdraw money from her company account and borrow from friends and family to afford day-to-day expenses.

The victim surnamed Jiang, 64, told Shin Min Daily News that her 34-year-old son was selling a watch on second-hand platform Carousell and was approached by an interested buyer on July 9.

The conversation between the two moved to WhatsApp and they agreed to the $50 deal on July 11.

"My son originally asked for payment to be made via cash or PayNow, but the buyer insisted on paying through the platform," she recounted.

Her son eventually caved in and the buyer sent him an email containing a link where he could receive the payment.

Jiang said her son clicked on the link and was redirected to a website with a similar interface to Carousell. The page showed details such as the photos and prices of the watches as well as the buyer's personal information.

It asked her son to fill in his bank information to receive payment, and the man did so using Jiang's account. 

"Since my son's bank account was temporarily unavailable, he filled in my bank account information, and I received a one-time password," she said.

The woman claimed that the $4,600 in her account was immediately transferred away. She immediately called the bank but was told the transaction had already been processed.

Juggling financial burdens

As the sole breadwinner of the family, the scam has put Jiang in a difficult position, reported Shin Min.

Her oldest son has a criminal record and can only work as a deliveryman, while her younger son is declared bankrupt and currently unemployed.

The car workshop, which she took over from her husband when he died, is also struggling with debt, she said.

She has listed her five-room Telok Blangah HDB flat for sale and hopes that downsizing her home will ease some financial burdens.

Still, Jiang said she does not entirely blame her son. By sharing her story, she hopes to warn others about the scam and prevent additional victims.

The police confirmed to Shin Min that a report was lodged, and investigations are ongoing.

The police have also sent out multiple advisories over the years regarding such phishing scams on online platforms.

Between Nov 1 and Dec 29, 2025, at least 223 people fell victim to the scam and lost a total of $622,000.

The public is urged to exercise extra caution when selling items on online platforms, and not provide banking details, card details or any other confidential information to unknown individuals.

Online sellers are strongly encouraged to meet buyers in person to complete the transaction.

The public is also advised to safeguard against scams by using the ACT (Add, Check, Tell) framework, which involves adding the ScamShield app and setting security features.

If in doubt, call the ScamShield helpline at 1799.

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