Police investigate after retiree’s SG60 vouchers worth nearly S$460 redeemed without consent

SINGAPORE: A 64-year-old retiree has found himself at the centre of a police investigation after discovering that nearly half of his SG60 vouchers were used without his knowledge.

Lee, who spoke to Shin Min Daily News, said he had collected his S$800 worth of SG60 vouchers on 2 July, one day after they became available to Singaporeans aged 60 and above.

The vouchers were printed in physical form by staff at Kreta Ayer Community Club and issued in denominations of S$10, S$5 and S$2.

Suspicious redemptions discovered within days

Lee first used a S$10 voucher at a supermarket on 4 July without any issue. However, his wife encountered a problem the next day when she tried to use several vouchers at Bee Cheng Hiang.

“She handed over three S$10 vouchers and a S$2 voucher, but the cashier told her that one of the S$10 vouchers had already been redeemed,” Lee recalled.

Thinking it might be a technical error, Lee attempted to use two more S$10 vouchers at Sheng Siong Supermarket on 6 July, but was again informed that one had already been used.

Alarmed, he returned to Kreta Ayer Community Club to clarify the issue.

Police report lodged after online records checked

According to Lee, staff at the community club asked whether any family members might have used the vouchers.

“To be sure, I called my two sons right there, but both said they hadn’t used them,” he said.

The staff then advised him to file a police report, which he did the following day.

With police assistance, Lee logged into his Singpass account and found that S$459 worth of his vouchers had been redeemed on 3 July — by someone else.

He and his wife had only used S$42 legitimately, leaving the bulk of the funds spent without their knowledge.

Lee expressed disbelief that such a situation could occur, given that the physical vouchers were in his possession the entire time.

Authorities reiterate scam warnings

In recent weeks, police have issued multiple advisories warning the public about scams related to SG60 vouchers.

An advisory issued on 4 July reminded Singaporeans that the authorities will never request personal information, bank details, or payment to claim the vouchers.

“Members of the public should only access their vouchers through official government channels and avoid clicking on links sent via email, SMS, or social media,” the statement said.

Police also advised against using third-party applications to scan QR codes, recommending the built-in camera or native QR scanning function instead.

Community Clubs and SG Digital Community Hubs across Singapore are providing assistance to seniors who need help claiming their vouchers securely.

SG60 vouchers part of milestone celebration

The SG60 vouchers are a one-off initiative to commemorate Singapore’s 60th year of independence.

Each eligible citizen aged 60 and above receives S$800 in vouchers, which can be used at participating heartland shops, supermarkets, hawkers, and community outlets.

Singaporeans aged 21 to 59 will be able to claim S$600 worth of vouchers starting from 22 July.

According to Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry Low Yen Ling, more than 450,000 seniors — representing over 40 per cent of Singapore’s 1.1 million elderly citizens — had successfully claimed their SG60 vouchers as of mid-July.

Public urged to remain vigilant

The authorities have urged citizens to remain alert for scams and unauthorised activity involving digital vouchers.

Members of the public who suspect that their vouchers have been misused are advised to lodge a police report immediately and avoid sharing personal information with unverified parties.

Lee said he hopes his case will raise awareness among other seniors about the need for caution when redeeming or using government-issued vouchers.

“I just want to make sure no one else goes through this,” he said.