Scam Alert: The "Christina Chew" Free Bike Giveaway on Facebook Will Cost You Money

That free folding bike in your Facebook group is a trap. A profile posting as "Christina Chew" has been offering expensive bicycles for nothing in Singapore community groups, and the goal is a small PayNow transfer you will never get back. The same scam runs under many other names.

If you see one of these posts, do not message the seller and do not pay anything.

What the post looks like

The posts are short and friendly. One version reads: "Giving away two Java Neo 3 Trifold 16-inch bikes, one orange and one titanium. Both work well. Self-collection in Sembawang, DM if interested!" Another says: "Passing this on as it's no longer in use. PM me if you would like it."

The bikes are real models that sell for hundreds of dollars: Java Neo trifolds, Bromptons, Sixty series folding bikes, road bikes. The photos look like a real home, which makes the offer feel genuine.

How the scam works

1. The hook. The scammer posts a good bike, free, with a clean photo and a casual caption.
2. No comments allowed. The scammer turns off commenting, so members who spot the scam cannot warn you under the post.
3. The fee. You send a message. The scammer says the bike is yours, then asks you to PayNow S$15 to S$30 to "reserve" it or to cover delivery.
4. The ghosting. The bike never arrives. Ask to collect it yourself and you get a fake address, or the scammer calls you a "troller" and blocks you.

S$20 sounds too small to worry about. That is the point: people pay small amounts without thinking, and the scammer repeats it with dozens of buyers from one post.

This is a known scam in Singapore

The Singapore Police Force calls it a freecycling scam. In July 2023 it warned that at least 82 people had lost a total of at least S$2,500 to fake giveaways since May that year. By September 2023 the count had grown to at least 360 victims and S$43,000 lost. The police listed bicycles and bulky appliances such as washing machines and fridges as the usual bait, paid for by PayNow, bank transfer or e-wallet.

Red flags

• Comments are turned off on a giveaway post.
• The same photo and caption show up in several groups, often a few hours apart.
• The profile is new, has few real friends, or uses family photos that look borrowed.
• You must pay first. Any fee to "reserve" a free item is the scam.
• The seller rushes you: "Many people asking, transfer now to secure."
• You cannot meet or see the item before you pay.

How to protect yourself

• Never pay to receive a free item. A real giveaway costs you only the trip to collect it.
• Collect in person, and arrange your own transport if you need it.
• Search the photo. Long-press the image and use Google Lens. Scam photos often appear in other posts or listings.
• Check the profile. Look at when it joined, its friends and its other posts.
• Install the ScamShield app and set a PayNow transaction limit in your banking app.

Already paid?

1. Call your bank right away and ask it to stop or trace the transfer.
2. Report it to the police online through the Singapore Police Force e-services, or call the police hotline at 1800 255 0000.
3. Call the ScamShield Helpline at 1799 if you are not sure whether something is a scam.
4. Report the post and the profile to Facebook and to the group admins, so they can remove it before someone else pays.

A note for our groups

FIS group admins remove these posts when we see them, but scammers post faster than we can catch them. If you spot a giveaway that matches the red flags above, report it to the admins and warn your friends. Ang libre na may bayad, hindi libre.

FAQs

Is the "Christina Chew" free bike giveaway real?

No. It is a scam. The profile offers expensive folding bikes for free, turns off comments, then asks interested buyers to PayNow a small fee to reserve the bike or pay for delivery. The bike never arrives. The name is a fake profile name, and the same scam runs under other names.

Why do scammers only ask for S$15 to S$30?

Small amounts feel safe, so people pay without checking. The scammer collects the fee from many buyers using the same post, and each victim often decides the loss is too small to report.

What should I do if I already paid?

Call your bank at once to try to stop the transfer, report the case to the police online or on 1800 255 0000, and report the post to Facebook and the group admins. Keep screenshots of the chat and the payment.

How do I spot a fake giveaway on Facebook?

Watch for comments turned off, the same photo posted in many groups, a new or empty profile, and any request to pay before you see the item. A genuine giveaway never needs a reservation fee.