You may have seen the following message on your social media channels:

The message, accompanied by an image, warns about a purported scam where a "weird guy" goes around asking people to tap their PAssion Cards on a handheld machine.

The "scam" is supposed to lure people in by offering free TapForMore (TFM) points with each tap.

The originator of the Whatsapp message casts suspicion on the offer of points by saying that he/she has seen what the actual PAssion Card machines look like and that it "looks NOTHING like what this guy is holding".

Instead, the alleged scammer seems to be holding a "credit card machine".

The message sparked discussion online about whether or not this was actually a scam.

Not a scam

One Facebook user named Kristeena weighed in, saying that the offer of free points was in fact "legit".

It is part of a project by the People's Association (PA) called PAssion Cares.

A quick look on PAssioncard.sg shows that PAssion Cares is indeed a real initiative.

Those in attendance at selected community events will receive 7.5 TFM points with each tap.

Points for you and points for others

Responding to queries from Mothership, the PA confirmed that no money would be deducted from PAssion Cards that tapped on the machines.

"Instead, points are credited to members’ PAssion Card in appreciation of their support towards PAssion Cares."

Taps also result in sponsors POSB and Dairy Farm Singapore Group contributing a small sum to community projects for the underprivileged.

Thanking the netizens for their vigilance and questions about the initiative, the PA spokesperson said that legitimate PAssion Cares readers would be carried by staff or volunteers who can be identified by their IDs or t-shirts.

"These acts of community participation by our PAssion Card members have supported a number of community projects. For example, in November 2019, a total of 125 needy households were given $200 shopping credits to shop at the Giant Hypermarket."

Top image from Wong Jack Jayden's Facebook page and by Andrew Koay

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