Can I get my money back after a Pokémon card scam in Singapore?

There is no guarantee, but acting fast gives you the best chance. Call your bank's 24-hour fraud line immediately so they can attempt to act on the transfer or freeze the account, then lodge a police report and report the seller on the marketplace. If you paid through a platform's protected checkout, you may also be eligible for a refund or dispute. Beware of anyone charging an upfront fee to 'recover' your money, as that is a second scam.

How do I make a police report for a scam in Singapore?

Go to the Singapore Police Force website, open e-Services, and choose 'Lodge a Police Report' using your Singpass for a non-urgent scam. If you don't have Singpass, you can submit information through the SPF I-Witness portal. Have your screenshots, transaction records, and the scammer's details ready. For emergencies call 999; for non-emergency crime information the police hotline is 1800-255-0000.

What is the ScamShield Helpline number?

The ScamShield Helpline is 1799, a 24/7 national service in Singapore for anyone unsure whether something is a scam or who needs guidance after one. If you are overseas, call +65 6869 1799. There is also a ScamShield app and website for checking and reporting suspicious numbers and links.

How fast should I act after a card scam?

As fast as you can, ideally within the same hour. Stop contact, screenshot your evidence, then call your bank straight away because the early window is when a transfer is most likely to be acted on. Police report, ScamShield, and the marketplace report can follow once the bank is notified.

How do I report a scam seller on Carousell?

Use the 'Report' option on the seller's profile or listing inside the Carousell app, and contact the Carousell Help Centre with your evidence. Report quickly, because scam accounts are often deleted and recreated. Also lodge a police report, since the platform report alone does not start a police investigation.

After a scam · 6 min read

Scammed buying Pokémon cards? Here is what to do in Singapore

If a Pokémon card deal went wrong, take a breath. You are not the first, and there is a clear path forward. Here is exactly what to do, in order, to give yourself the best chance of getting help.

Realising you have been scammed is a horrible feeling, especially when you were just trying to buy a card you love, or a gift for your child. Please don't blame yourself. Scammers do this for a living, and they are good at it. What matters now is acting calmly and quickly. The next hour or two is when you can do the most to limit the damage, so work through these steps in order.

You can do this

Every step below is something an ordinary person can complete from their phone. You don't need a lawyer or any special knowledge. Just move through the list one item at a time.

1. Stop contact and don't pay any more

The moment you suspect a scam, stop sending money and stop following the seller's instructions. A common trick is to ask for 'one more transfer' to release the item, fix a shipping error, or pay a fake fee. There is no extra payment that will turn a scam into a real sale. Don't delete the chat or block the person yet, though, because you will need those messages as evidence.

2. Gather your evidence before anything disappears

Scammers often delete listings and accounts fast. Take screenshots now, while everything is still visible. Capture:

The full chat history on Carousell, Telegram, WhatsApp, or Facebook (scroll through and screenshot everything, including the username and profile).
The original listing or post, with the price, photos, and item description.
Your payment records: the PayNow or bank transfer confirmation, the amount, the date and time, and the recipient's name or mobile number.
Any phone numbers, email addresses, or social media handles the seller used.

Save these in one place so they are easy to attach to your reports. Clear evidence makes every step that follows faster and more credible.

3. Call your bank immediately

This is the most time-sensitive step. Call your bank's 24-hour fraud or scam hotline straight away and tell them you have been scammed. Most major Singapore banks now offer a self-service 'kill switch' in their app to freeze your account, plus a dedicated reporting line. If the money has only just left your account, the bank may be able to act on the transfer; even if it has gone through, reporting it starts the bank's own investigation and protects you from further loss.

Be careful who you trust next

After a scam, you may be contacted by people offering to 'recover' your money for a fee. These 'recovery scams' are a second scam targeting victims. No legitimate service charges an upfront fee to get your money back. Only deal with your real bank and the official channels below.

4. Make a police report

In Singapore, you can lodge a non-urgent scam report online. Go to the Singapore Police Force website and use e-Services to 'Lodge a Police Report' with your Singpass. If you don't have Singpass, you can submit information through the SPF I-Witness portal instead (note that I-Witness shares information but is not itself a formal police report). The official ScamShield site has a handy checklist of what to include: the date and time, how the scammer contacted you, their details, your transaction records, and your screenshots.

For an emergency where you feel unsafe, call 999. To pass crime-related information to the police by phone, the non-emergency hotline is 1800-255-0000.

5. Call the ScamShield Helpline on 1799

If you are unsure whether it was a scam, or you just want a calm human to walk you through what to do, call the ScamShield Helpline on 1799. It is a 24/7 national service. If you are overseas, call +65 6869 1799. The ScamShield app and website also let you check suspicious numbers and links, and report scam encounters so others are warned.

6. Report the listing and user on the marketplace

Report the seller directly inside the platform so they can be investigated and removed before they reach the next buyer. On Carousell, use the 'Report' option on the user's profile or the listing, and contact the Help Centre with your evidence. On Shopee, raise it through in-app customer support or a dispute if you paid through the platform's protected checkout. The faster you report, the more likely the account is blocked before it changes its name and reappears.

Never settle a scam off-platform

If a seller pushes you to leave the marketplace, pay by direct PayNow or bank transfer 'to skip the fees', and avoid the platform's protected checkout, treat that as the clearest red flag there is. Direct transfers have no buyer protection, which is exactly why scammers ask for them.

7. Warn the community

Once your reports are filed, a short, factual heads-up in the Pokémon buy-sell-trade groups you use (Telegram, Facebook, Discord) can stop someone else from being caught by the same account. Stick to verifiable facts: the username, the platform, and what happened. Avoid posting personal data or making accusations you can't back up, since the goal is to warn, not to start a pile-on.

8. Look after yourself, and buy safer next time

Being scammed can knock your confidence, but it doesn't mean you can't collect safely. For future buys, favour platform-protected checkout over direct transfers, meet in person at a busy MRT station or mall for higher-value cards, ask for a video of the exact card with today's date written on a slip of paper, and be wary of prices that look too good to be true. You learned the hard way once; that instinct will protect you from here on.

LegitDeck is an independent consumer-safety resource and is not affiliated with The Pokémon Company, Nintendo, any grading company, or any marketplace. We can't recover money or give legal advice, but we can point you to the right official channels, above. Always rely on the official SPF and ScamShield sites for the current process and numbers.