SINGAPORE: At least 62 people have fallen victim to scams linked to BTS concert tickets, losing a total of S$68,200, according to the Singapore Police Force (SPF).

In an advisory issued on Tuesday (June 9), police said the cases surfaced shortly after ticket sales for BTS’s “ARIRANG” World Tour in Singapore ended on June 5.

According to SPF, scammers approached victims through social media platforms such as Instagram and Carousell, offering concert tickets for sale.

Victims were typically asked to make a payment via PayNow or by scanning a PayNow QR code. After receiving the initial payment, the scammers allegedly requested additional transfers, citing reasons such as administrative fees.

“Victims only realised they had been scammed when they did not receive the tickets,” the police said.

SPF reminded concertgoers to buy tickets only through authorised platforms such as Ticketmaster. The police also highlighted Ticketmaster’s terms and conditions, which prohibit the resale of tickets.

According to Ticketmaster, those found using resale tickets may be denied entry to the concert and will not receive a refund. The company also does not issue tickets via email.

Police added that they are working with social media platforms to remove accounts involved in the fraudulent sale of BTS concert tickets.

The warning comes amid growing concerns over ticket scalping, with BTS concert tickets already appearing on resale platforms at heavily marked-up prices.

Earlier reports showed some sellers listing VIP tickets for as much as S$9,000, while others advertised packages worth several times the original ticket price.

This article (BTS ticket scams leave victims out of pocket by more than S$68,000) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: Many residents are bothered because of suspected leaking from the ceiling of the activity area of an HDB flat in Jurong East, and this has been a concern for nearly a year. With this, many people are worried that residents, especially the elderly and the children, may slip and fall.  

As reported by Shin Min Daily News, a 74-year-old driver complained that the ceiling of the activity area on the ground floor of their HDB flat has a leaking problem, and when reporters visited the site, it was found that there is indeed a concern, given that there is water and moss is forming on the ground. 

The resident also pointed out that every Monday to Friday morning, a group of people would come to their place to do aerobics, and that the number sometimes reaches over a hundred. However, because of the lakes, people need to deliberately avoid the areas affected, which is very inconvenient. 

Furthermore, a 73-year-old resident admitted that the authorities had conducted repairs to the ceilings, but the leak continued even after. She believes that the leaks are from the water pipes in the kitchen or toilet of the second-floor resident, because the water still seeps in even when it is not raining. 

The Town Council then confirmed that they had received the feedback about the leak last May 2024 and identified the source after further investigation. With this, the authorities contacted the affected residents to arrange waterproofing repairs inside their units.

More so, to minimise the impact on residents, the town council has taken several temporary measures downstairs, into the relevant areas during the HDB renovation and repainting work in June last year. They also cleaned up the stains and applied anti-slip treatment to the ground.

However, due to the recent worsening of the water seepage, authorities need to conduct more direct repairs on the affected units. They have temporarily closed the affected area below the leak to ensure public safety.

Other related news 

In other similar news, there was a report where a resident of a Yishun HDB flat recently raised safety concerns after concrete blocks began falling from the ceiling of his unit, causing cracks in parts of the ceiling and walls. 

The building where the unit is located is said to be 42 years old, and when reporters visited the area, many residents unfortunately reported similar problems. 

Read more about the story here. 

This article (Jurong East HDB residents alarmed as year-long ground-floor leaks risk slips for elderly and children) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: A delivery rider is accused of vandalism when caught writing on a wall outside an HDB unit located at Bukit Batok. 

On Facebook, a netizen shared the incident in which a surveillance footage recorded the rider standing near the wall, although the homeowner was unsure what the rider was doing back then. 

Later on, the rider was seen taking a photo of the unit before placing the food on a rack and walking off. The homeowners claimed that the rider wrote a unit number on their gate as proof that she had successfully delivered the food. 

As reported by AsiaOne, foodpanda was aware of the incident and had investigated further. 

A spokesperson from foodpanda declared: “Based on our review, the delivery partner was attempting to ensure the delivery could be properly verified as part of the proof-of-delivery process. However, the approach taken was inappropriate and did not meet the standards we expect of our delivery partners.” 

Furthermore, foodpanda stated that they have reached out directly to the customer to address the matter and offered compensation in return. 

In recent reports, the rider expressed remorse for what she had done and also apologised for her mistakes. To address the concern, the rider agreed to paint the wall to cover the writings, together with the homeowner’s husband. 

Other related news 

In related news, a food delivery rider recently drew attention online after an accident caused food to spill, revealing the condition of the delivery bag used to transport the order.

A netizen voiced out on social media that they saw a food delivery rider’s bicycle overturned, and it spoiled the noodles and soup he was about to deliver on the ground. What even caught their attention was the delivery bag being extremely dirty, and it also contained miscellaneous items, such as the rider’s own beer.

With this, the netizen shared: “I will think twice before ordering takeout in the future.” 

Read more about the story here.

This article (‘Proof of delivery’ or vandalism? foodpanda rider accused of vandalism to prove delivery, resident demands action) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: A 31-year-old Filipino woman stole 20 bottles of alcohol worth S$1,216 from a supermarket over the course of 12 separate thefts in just over a month. Her actions were eventually uncovered through CCTV footage, and she has since been sentenced to jail.

The woman, who was working in Singapore on a work permit at the time, pleaded guilty to one count of theft. According to Shin Min Daily News, the offences took place between Apr 7 and May 15. On each occasion, she allegedly transferred alcoholic beverages from the supermarket’s shopping basket into her own blue shopping bag before leaving without paying.

The stolen items included spirits, sparkling wine and whisky, with individual bottles valued at between S$10 and S$118. In total, the alcohol taken was worth more than S$1,200.

Caught due to inventory 

The woman’s actions were uncovered after a supermarket manager noticed missing inventory on May 15. A review of CCTV footage revealed the thefts, prompting the manager to file a police report.

The suspect also appeared at the supermarket the following day and was easily recognised by the manager, who immediately called the police for the arrest. The police recovered 14 of the stolen liquor bottles, and the suspect admitted that the other bottles had been given to friends or had already been consumed. Due to this, she was sentenced to four weeks in jail. 

The suspect has not made any compensation to date. 

Other related news 

In a separate theft case, a maid who spent seven months saving for a pair of branded sneakers worth more than S$100 was left devastated after they were stolen by a stranger.

Investigation showed that a long-haired woman wearing a black long-sleeved top and a white skirt walked towards the shoe cabinet, somehow covering her face with her right hand as she went. She then squatted down in front of the shoe cabinet, and after quite some time, took the pair of sneakers and left. The entire process took about 30 seconds. 

Read more about the news story here.

This article (Woman stole from supermarket 12 times before missing alcohol was spotted during stock check) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: Does earning two or three times Singapore’s median income make life feel easy?

That was the question one Redditor posed online after wondering what life is really like for people bringing home around two to three times the median take-home pay in Singapore.

“What’s life like in Singapore? Do you also feel the inflation, or does everything feel easy? Would SG feel like Utopia at this point?” the Redditor asked, inviting others to share their experiences.

Many commenters were quick to point out that earning two or three times the median income does not make someone “crazy rich.”

Instead, they described it as being financially comfortable, with more flexibility in daily life but not complete freedom from money worries.

One commenter said that regardless of how much people earn, many eventually adjust their lifestyles to match their income.

“Earnings increase, lifestyle choices become more premium,” the commenter wrote.

Others said the key is not necessarily how much a person earns, but how much they spend.

One Redditor argued that learning to live below one’s means brings a greater sense of security, adding that even high earners can feel stressed if they spend everything they make.

Another commenter who said they earn around three times the median income shared that they still do not feel rich.

“You don’t have to think so hard about the money you spend. Upgrade. More expensive restaurants. Can afford more extra activities for children. More holidays. Can give parents more,” the commenter wrote.

“That being said, we still count our pennies and live within our means. Money can come in and go the next day. Stay humble and be grateful.”

This article (Singaporeans share what life is really like on S$10k to S$15k a month) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: Singaporeans are living longer than ever, according to the latest data released by the Singapore Department of Statistics on June 3.

According to Yan.sg, Singapore residents born in 2025 can expect to live an average of 83.9 years, setting a new record and surpassing the pre-pandemic peak of 83.7 years in 2019.

The report further explains that according to gender, women have a clear advantage, for their life expectancy is 86,0 years, while men’s is 81.8 years. Despite the difference, men have made faster progress over the past years, as their life expectancy has increased by 1.3 years, compared to women by 0.9 years. 

Data also shows that boys who were born in 2025 have a 90.3% chance of living past the age of 65, and nearly 47.6% will have the opportunity to still celebrate their 85th birthday. Moreover, girls have a 94.4% chance of reaching 65, and 64.3% can still live their lives over 85 years old. 

Additionally, a 65-year-old Singaporean resident has an average life expectancy of 86.6 years; life expectancy for a 65-year-old woman is 88.1 years of age, while a man is 84.9 years old. 

Strong public health system 

The figures reflect Singapore’s continued improvements in healthcare and longevity. Factors such as medical advancements, healthier lifestyles and long-term investment in healthcare may have contributed to the increase in life expectancy.

In other lifestyle news, a recent online discussion explored how Singaporeans in their 30s and 40s are making new friends and building meaningful social connections.

Read more about the news story here.

This article (Life expectancy rises to 83.9 years as Singapore sets new record) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: A collision occurred on Brickland Road on June 2 when a truck failed to stop and rear-ended a motorcycle. On Facebook, a video was posted online that showed how the motorcycle driver had lost their balance and suddenly fallen due to the impact. Fortunately, the other motorcycle driver was safe from the incident. 

With this, many netizens expressed their thoughts and opinions on what had happened. One comment declared that in the video, the truck driver was clearly looking at his phone before the collision, which allegedly had caused the accident. 

“Must be crazy to rear-end the biker. Dreaming or what!!,” a netizen claimed. 

Another netizen also claimed that the rider should have called the ambulance for medical assistance, and that the police should have been dispatched as well. 

“The truck driver and his vehicle will be held for investigation,” the comment further added. 

However, some netizens blamed the motorcycle driver for the mistake, stating that he should have split lanes. 

“That’s why motorcycles need to split lanes,” a comment concluded. 

Other related news

In similar news related to road complaints, there was a report where an elderly woman was spotted travelling against traffic in her electric wheelchair on Qiaonan Road. 

It was very common in the area for elderly people to ride their electric wheelchairs; however, the Land Transport Authority has a rule that mobility aids are prohibited from driving on roads and may only be used on public walkways such as sidewalks.

Read more about the news story here. 

This article (Looking at his phone: Truck driver rear-ends one of the motors on Brickland Road, endangering others) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: Is money really the primary indicator that people have been successful? In today’s time, a growing number of young Singaporeans are questioning their milestones in life as they age, particularly in terms of financial capacities.

A 29-year-old woman shared on Reddit that she currently has less than S$30,000 in her savings, and she is not sure if this amount of savings is considered little or fairly normal in this economy. She also shared that she had a previous conversation with her 28-year-old male friend, who happened to mention that he basically has no savings at all. 

“That got me thinking — online, you always see all these “milestones” like: $100k by 30, first condo by 35, FIRE at 40 etc,” the netizen admitted. She also claimed that online standards can sometimes be disconnected from what is happening in reality. 

With this, the woman is very interested to know how much do average Singaporeans have actually saved up in their 20s, or going into their 30s. 

Netizens weighed in. A commenter questioned why would anyone compare themselves to others in terms of financial capabilities, and it is a bit ‘bad’ to attach an amount to someone’s age because everyone has different starting points in life.

“What you should do is to just set milestones that are decoupled to age instead… you should just strive to be ‘better than your past self’,” the netizen said. 

“Comparison online can get quite skewed because people usually only share their best numbers. Having close to $30k at 29 is already better than many people, especially with Singapore’s cost of living now,” another netizen remarked. 

A commenter shared that most people in their late 20s are still recovering from other expenses such as university, weddings, lifestyle inflation, and the likes. 

“Having emergency savings at all already puts you ahead of many if not most,” one declared. 

For some, there is always a starting point. A personal experience was shared by a netizen, stating that he/she has zero savings until he.she learned about having investments and emergency funds at the age of 39 in 2024. Now that he/she is 41, he/she is preparing for retirement. 

“Felt that no one taught me this till I started learning myself from various sources. There is always a starting point. Everyone’s starting point is different,” the comment concluded. 

In the end, a ‘normal’ amount of savings is subjective—it really depends on each person’s situation, and not what society dictates. It is best to remember that it is never too late to start improving one’s finances. Save for emergencies, learn about investing, and set goals that fit your desired life.

This article (Woman asks how much Singaporeans have saved by their late 20s, netizens share honest answers) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: Renovating a house costs lots of hard-earned money, and it shouldn’t be put to waste. However, this is not the case for a woman who complained that she paid a contractor $280,000 for renovation, but wants to cancel the work because of dissatisfied service.

However, the woman ended up being sued for over $180,000 by the contractor, stating that everything was done according to what they had planned, and the fees were transparent right from the very start. 

Case details 

As reported by Shin Min Daily News, the 53-year-old woman living on Bedok Road stated in an interview that she had bought the terraced house in 2013. The house has leaks, and she wanted to renovate it. 

“Now that my children are grown up, I have more money and want to live here for a long time, so I decided to start the renovation.” 

With this, she hired a contractor to renovate the house, but was later on disappointed with their work. She shared that she found the contractor through an introduction, and agreed with the renovation agreement for more than $620,000. 

During the renovation process, she has always instructed the contractor to keep certain items, such as the air conditioner and fan. Unfortunately, the construction team damaged the air conditioner compressor and other items. 

 The woman remarked, “I am also dissatisfied with some of the charges, believing the prices are too high.” Alongside this, the woman also felt that the contractor’s attitude was poor, so she decided to cancel the renovation. 

In January of this year, the contractor demanded that the woman settle the remaining payment even when she wished to terminate the service. The contractor unexpectedly continued finishing the roof and even asked for more than $180,000 for additional construction fees, which she found unacceptable. 

By this time, the woman had already paid more than $280,000 and had doubts about the final payment, so she did not want to pay. 

“I also invited a quality inspector to check the construction items. I feel that many things were not done, and the house is in this state. How can I possibly pay?” she claimed. 

The contractor then explained in an interview that the renovation plan was finalised before construction even began, and all of their prices were transparent. They just started working after the homeowner signed off. 

Furthermore, the contractor stated that some of the items that the homeowner wanted to keep were quite old, and the woman had also signed an invoice for a new air conditioner. 

“If she disagrees with anything, we can sit down and talk it over; otherwise, how can we resolve the issue?,” the contractor stated. 

Given that both parties were unable to make an agreement on how things would go, the renovation project has been suspended for months. 

Other related news 

In similar news related to construction, construction noises from a college in Singapore have been a nuisance for residents living nearby for nearly 10 months now. 

The noises, which occur almost every single day, cause the residents to stay up late at night, causing great distress to many.

Read more about the news story here. 

This article (Woman tried to cancel renovation but still being pursued for by contractor of $180,000, says work is very disappointing) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: A frightening incident occurred on a Singapore MRT train on the evening of May 21 when a passenger’s power bank suddenly caught fire and emitted smoke. Due to this, the train needed to make an emergency stop at the Pioneer Memorial Park station, which is yet to be opened to the public.

According to investigations, the MRT train was bound for Woodlands North. As reported by Yan.sg, a strange noise inside the carriage was suddenly heard at approximately 9:40 p.m, and it was from the explosion of the power bank. 

Some passengers nearby moved to the back of the carriage, while others immediately activated the emergency communication button inside the train. As per safety procedures, the train automatically stopped at the nearest station. 

The authorities confirmed that MRT station staff were quick to arrive at the scene and found the power bank in question smoking. The Singapore Civil Defence Force responded to the call as well, but the staff extinguished the fire with fire extinguishers before help arrived. 

Thankfully, all passengers were safely evacuated from the station, and no damage was caused to the train or equipment. However, an employee gained a minor cut to his finger during the incident and received first aid. 

There have been frequent cases of power banks exploding on subways in recent years in Singapore, and it is now becoming a safety hazard that can’t be ignored. Last year, there were at least four incidents of power banks exploding or emitting smoke on the Singapore MRT.

Furthermore, data from the Singapore Civil Defence Force revealed that 58 reports of power bank fires were received between 2019 and 2024, and common causes include short circuits caused by metal objects contacting the interface, battery ageing or manufacturing defects, and abnormal charging caused by substandard charging cables. 

With this, the Singapore government is assessing whether to classify power banks as regulated goods under the Consumer Product Safety Specifications (CPS). 

If the regulation takes effect, all power banks sold in the country are required to meet additional registration requirements and should have the SAFETY Mark. These items will also be required to provide consumers with clear safety and usage instructions.

This article (Power bank suddenly caught fire and emitted smoke on Singapore MRT, causing emergency evacuation of passengers) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: Another nuisance relating to birds was caught when a resident filmed an unusually large flock of birds settling at an HDB flat. On Reddit, the netizen admitted that this is the first time that he/she had seen many birds at someone’s flat and claimed that even more birds flew out when he/she stopped filming.

The netizen remarked that he/she had reported the incident to the authorities, and encouraged others to do the same if they encounter similar situations. 

Other netizens shared their thoughts and opinions on the post. One commented that having these birds near the HDB flat is ‘highly unsanitary’. 

“That’s the issue in my area. The pigeons aren’t scared of humans and cats anymore. Saw once a flock of pigeons attack one cat. Had reported it, but no reply yet… I guess the relevant authorities have too many reports to deal with,” a netizen shared. 

For some, they suspected that the owner of the flat was feeding the birds. A comment claimed: “This person thinks out of the box for feeding pigeons. I can’t throw food out to feed then I will ask them to come to my house to eat.” 

One more netizen concluded that he/she has reported such cases before. “Nothing was done after they ‘promise’ not to do it again, just to do it again the next week,” the comment concluded. 

In Singapore, it is written under the Wildlife Act that pigeons are classified as wild animals; hence, feeding them publicly is illegal. If convicted of such a crime, offenders can be fined or face imprisonment. 

Other related news 

In similar news related to bird complaints, there was a report where a 67-year-old woman was caught repeatedly feeding pigeons in different HDB estates located in Yishun.

Due to this, the suspect faces four charges for feeding wild animals without permission for violating the Wildlife Act. 

Read more about the story here.

This article (Netizen alarmed by unusual flock of birds at someone’s HDB flat, urges public to report to the authorities) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: For some Singaporean residents, rainy days are stressful as it is. However, people who are passing on the West Coast Expressway, near the industrial area around Boon Leat Terrace, are experiencing much more inconvenience when the water from the overpass is becoming like ‘mini waterfalls’ that further soak their clothes and shoes.

A 29-year-old resident admitted that she is facing this problem every time it rains heavily. In an interview, the resident shared that there were at least four places on the bridge where water would splash down, and even shielding herself using her umbrella was of no use, as reported by Shin Min Daily News. 

“The impact of the rain falling from the sky is strong, and my lower body will still get wet,” she claimed. 

Furthermore, a 30-year-old worker who works nearby stated that the sidewalk is the only route available for people to pass through, and they have to be extra careful every time it rains. The worker also declared that she has been working for two years near the bridge and has encountered the ‘mini waterfall’ no more than 10 times, but it is still troublesome when one gets wet. 

People believe that the waterfall is caused by poor drainage of the elevated highway, which leads to water accumulation on the bridge. “If possible, we hope the authorities can build covered walkways to solve this problem.” 

On the other hand, a 41-year-old driver also claimed that he would usually speed up while crossing the area to avoid being splashed by the water. He also declared that the authorities should check the drainage system of the overpass for the safety of the drivers and motorcyclists. 

Other related news 

In similar news related to water leaks, there was a report where many residents are bothered because of suspected leaking from the ceiling of the activity area of an HDB flat in Jurong East. 

This has been a concern for nearly a year, and many people are worried that residents, especially the elderly and the children, may slip and fall.  

Read more about the news story here. 

This article (Elevated bridge becomes ‘waterfall’ during downpour; residents demand covered walkways for safety) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.