How to Report Spam Calls and SMS in Singapore

Every spam call you ignore is a private victory, but every one you report is a public one. In Singapore, reports filed through ScamShield feed a shared database that powers call and message blocking for everyone, while police reports build the cases that take scam operations down. Reporting takes only a few minutes, costs nothing, and is the closest thing to a neighbourhood watch the phone network has. Here is where each kind of report goes and what to include.

Start with ScamShield

ScamShield, developed with the National Crime Prevention Council and supported by the Singapore Police Force, is the main channel for reporting scam calls and messages. You can report through the ScamShield app itself or at scamshield.gov.sg. Include the sender's number or caller ID, the date and time, what the caller or text claimed, and screenshots of messages or call logs where possible. Reported numbers feed the shared scam database, so the number that tried you today may be blocked for thousands of others tomorrow. If you are unsure whether something is a scam before reporting, call the 24/7 ScamShield Helpline at 1799 and describe what happened.

Report to your carrier

Your mobile operator can act on numbers abusing its network. Singtel, StarHub, and M1 each maintain fraud and nuisance-call reporting channels through their apps, websites, or customer service lines; check your carrier's official site for the current reporting path. When reporting, note whether the call or text came to your mobile number directly, the exact displayed number or sender ID, and the content of the message. Carriers combine these reports with network-level detection to filter scam traffic before it reaches customers, so carrier reports complement ScamShield rather than replacing it.

File a police report when money or data is involved

If you lost money, shared banking credentials or one-time passwords, handed over Singpass details, or were threatened, file a report with the Singapore Police Force. Reports can be made online through the official police e-services or in person at a Neighbourhood Police Centre or post. Bring everything: screenshots of calls and messages, the scammer's numbers and account details, transaction records with dates and amounts, and any links or websites involved. For significant losses, a police report is often required by banks and insurers before they can process disputes or claims, so file promptly even while you contact your bank.

Alert the impersonated organisation

When scammers impersonate a real company, that company wants to know. Banks such as DBS, OCBC, and UOB run dedicated fraud-reporting channels and publish warnings about active impersonation campaigns; forwarding the scam text or the calling number helps their security teams respond. The same applies to couriers like SingPost and Ninja Van and platforms like Shopee and Lazada when parcel scams use their names. Use only the organisation's official website or app to find its fraud contact, never any number or link supplied by the suspicious message itself.

Preserve evidence the right way

Good reports need good evidence, and evidence is easiest to capture before you block and delete. Screenshot the full message including the sender and timestamp, and screenshot your call log showing the number, date, and duration. Save transaction receipts and reference numbers from your banking app. Write down what the caller said while it is fresh, including names, claimed agencies, and instructions given. If a link was involved, copy the URL text without tapping it, since investigators can use the address to trace and take down phishing sites. Then block the sender and delete the message from your inbox.

After reporting: protect and follow up

Reporting is one step in a short response routine. If any credentials leaked, change passwords immediately, starting with email and banking, and review recent transactions for anything unfamiliar. Tell family members about the script, because scammers often work through contact lists and your relatives may be next. Watch for follow-up recovery scams in which new callers promise to retrieve your money for a fee; report those too. And check back on ScamShield advisories now and then so you recognise the next campaign before it reaches you.

One report may feel small, but the shared database behind ScamShield is built entirely from individual reports like yours. Report the attempt, preserve the evidence, and turn a nuisance call into a data point that protects the whole island.