Police to use 6000 0999 as single caller ID number to help public identify genuine calls, avoid scams

At least 3,230 scams involving the impersonation of Singapore government officials were reported here in the first nine months of this year, with losses totalling at least $142.5 million. The police was the government agency most frequently impersonated by scammers.

To help the public distinguish genuine police calls from fraudulent ones, the Singapore Police Force will use “6000 0999” as the caller ID number for all outgoing calls from Monday (2 November). Those who miss a call will still receive an official SMS notification afterwards.

The police, the Ministry of Digital Development and Information, Open Government Products under the Government Technology Agency, and the Infocomm Media Development Authority announced the move in a joint statement on Sunday (1 November). The police will be the first government agency here to adopt a single caller ID number.

At least 1,310 police impersonation scams were reported here between January and September this year, with losses of at least $53.3 million, the statement said.

By comparison, at least 1,010 police impersonation scams were reported in the same period last year, which resulted in losses of $61.4 million. At least 3,380 scams involving the impersonation of local government officials were reported in the same period last year, with losses totalling $182.6 million.

Government agencies currently make outgoing calls from a range of numbers, including office landlines and work mobile phones. This makes it difficult for the public to identify genuine government calls and creates opportunities for scammers.

Under the new measure, all outgoing police calls will display “6000 0999”. After the call ends, recipients will receive an SMS from “gov.sg” explaining how to contact the police for further assistance.

Asked at a media briefing last Tuesday (27 October) whether scammers could impersonate the police using the new number, the authorities said the government had put safeguards in place to reduce the risk of the number being spoofed or misused. These include blocking incoming calls from overseas that disguise themselves as Singapore telephone numbers.

The police have also issued codes of practice under the Online Criminal Harms Act requiring designated online communication and conferencing service platforms to introduce safeguards against scammers impersonating government communication channels such as the “6000 0999” number and “gov.sg” alerts.

The authorities stressed that the new number will be used only for telephone calls by the police, not to contact the public through platforms such as WhatsApp or Telegram. Anyone contacted through these platforms by someone using the number should report it to the ScamShield helpline on 1799 or use the platform’s reporting function.

The police will also conduct public education and publicity campaigns to raise awareness of the new number.

The authorities confirmed that those who miss or decline a police call will still receive an SMS notification from “gov.sg”, even if the call does not connect.

As “6000 0999” is for outgoing calls only and cannot receive incoming calls, anyone who tries to call back will hear an automated message explaining that it is a legitimate police telephone number and directing them to the feedback platform on the police website for enquiries.

The police explained that not every call requires follow-up by the recipient. Depending on the nature of the case, officers will leave a contact number if follow-up is needed, for recipients to call back.

Members of the public can also visit www.police.gov.sg/feedback or call the police feedback hotline on 1800-358-0000 for assistance.

The police reminded the public that a caller’s ability to provide personal details such as a name or identity card number does not necessarily mean the person is a government official. Government officials will never ask anyone over the phone to transfer money, hand over valuables, disclose bank login details or download unofficial apps. Nor will they transfer the call to the police.

The government also plans to extend similar measures progressively to other government agencies. Details will be announced later.