The Home Affairs Department (HAD) has issued a public warning after reports surfaced of scammers impersonating members of District Services and Community Care Teams in an attempt to

defraud residents.

In a statement released on March 8, a department spokesperson said authorities were alerted by a sub-district Care Team after several residents reported receiving suspicious phone calls. The callers falsely claimed to represent a Care Team and asked residents to transfer money to a designated bank account for so-called service fees.

Officials stressed that genuine Care Teams never request payments or financial transfers from members of the public. Residents are urged to remain cautious when receiving calls or messages from unknown sources.

To verify the identity of Care Team members or volunteers, the public can contact the government hotline at 182 111. Anyone encountering suspicious situations or potential scams should call the 24-hour Anti-Scam Helpline at 18222 for assistance.

The department also reminded residents that legitimate Care Team members and volunteers will wear official uniforms and carry Certificates of Identity when delivering community support services.

For additional verification, residents can check the official Care Team member directory and contact details of operating organisations on the HAD website.

Authorities encourage the public to stay vigilant and verify identities before responding to any requests involving personal information or financial transactions. Photo by Wikimedia commons.