Scam reports need a calm freeze — not blame
When helper reports a suspected scam call or message (Singapore) is the employer response ladder: stop, verify, protect OTPs and money, then tighten phone habits. Standing phone/social rules sit in Setting Phone and Social Media Boundaries Fairly. Lost-phone process sits in When Your Helper Loses Her Phone (Singapore). Real remittance sits in When Helper Sends Money Home: Remittance Process (Singapore). This page owns suspected scam response.
General guidance only — not legal advice. MOM: mom.gov.sg. Use official ScamShield / police channels for live reporting. SmartMaid.com.sg is a marketplace. Licensed EAs place helpers.
Neighbouring hubs:
- Setting phone and social media boundaries fairly
- When your helper loses her phone
- Remittance process
- Salary advance or loan ask
- Helping your MDW open a bank account
- Updating emergency contacts
- Written house rules sheet
- Building trust while maintaining standards
- This article: suspected scam response
Step 1 — Freeze (no OTP, no transfer)
Thank her for telling you. Do not scold. Stop any payment or sharing of one-time passwords immediately. Trust framing: Building Trust While Maintaining Employer Standards.
Step 2 — Verify the story
Fake “EA / MOM / bank / employer” calls are common. Soft-check with the *real* EA number you already saved (Employer Checklist When Updating Helper Emergency Contacts (Singapore)) — never call back a number from the suspicious SMS alone.
Step 3 — Money paths
- Urgent “send money home” pressure ≠ normal remittance (When Helper Sends Money Home: Remittance Process (Singapore))
- “Loan / advance now” pressure ≠ When Your Helper Asks for a Salary Advance or Loan (Singapore)
- Bank compromise → contact the bank using the number on the card/app (Helping Your MDW Open a Bank Account in Singapore)
loss figures in house notes.
Step 4 — Device hygiene
If the phone may be compromised, follow lost/compromise habits in When Your Helper Loses Her Phone (Singapore) and restate fair phone rules (Setting Phone and Social Media Boundaries Fairly). Add a one-line “report scams to us first” to house rules (Creating a Simple Written House Rules Sheet).
Step 5 — Soft official report
If money moved or OTPs leaked, help her use live official scam-report channels. MOM welfare framing on mom.gov.sg.
MOM rules
Encourage reporting without fear. Soft only.
Checklist
- Freeze: no OTP / no transfer
- Verify via known EA / bank contacts (#151)
- Separate from real remittance / advance (#140 / #113)
- Phone habits refreshed (#31 / #136)
- Official report if funds/OTP at risk
Scripts
To helper: Good that you told me. Do not send money or share the code. We will check with the real agency/bank numbers we already saved.
To co-employer: Praise the report — shame makes the next scam harder to catch.
Bottom line
Freeze, verify with known contacts, protect OTPs and money, then refresh phone habits. Browse on SmartMaid; place through a licensed EA under MOM rules.
