Three construction equipment rental firms have reported losses totalling around S$500,000 after allegedly falling victim to a scam involving a consultancy firm operating under a false address.
The companies claim they rented heavy machinery to a firm called Revivify, which subsequently failed to return the equipment or provide payment, according to state media CNA.
The Singapore Police Force confirmed that investigations into the case are ongoing, following official police reports lodged by the affected businesses.
New Town Engineering was among the first to raise concerns. A representative from Revivify first contacted the company in May 2025 to rent two excavators.
The man paid for the first month’s lease in June. When asked about extending the rental, he agreed but requested more time to pay, which New Town allowed.
The affected firm warns of syndicates using shell companies to vanish with high-value equipment
However, when New Town staff attempted to visit Revivify’s registered office at International Plaza, they found that no such company existed at the location.
A subsequent visit to the same address confirmed that the premises were occupied by another unrelated business.
New Town later tracked one of its excavators to a work site at 29 Penjuru Lane. After what the company described as “roughly 10 hours of administrative tussle” involving the police, it was able to reclaim the machine.
The other excavator, however, remains missing. The firm estimates its total loss at between S$55,000 and S$60,000.
In a Facebook post, New Town Engineering warned other businesses in the sector about the potential scam.
“Syndicates are exploiting legal loopholes and using shell companies to rent and disappear with high-value equipment,” the company wrote. “We’re not alone—multiple rental companies have been hit. Stay vigilant.”
Cherly Equipment Service loses S$240,000 in excavators
Another affected firm, Cherly Equipment Service, reported losing four excavators worth approximately S$240,000 to Revivify.
Tang Siang Hong, the CEO and managing director of Cherly, said three of the machines belonged to his company while the fourth was owned by a friend.
He said no payments were received, and attempts to recover the equipment were unsuccessful.
Multi Ways Equipment also reports losses
Multi Ways Equipment was the third firm to suffer losses. According to employee Derrick, Revivify initially requested delivery of welding machines and wheel loaders to Seletar North for a supposed project.
However, the company later changed the delivery location to 29 Penjuru Lane in late May.
Derrick, who visited the Penjuru site on 10 June, described the area as “just bare land, like a dumping ground.”
He discovered one wheel loader at the site, but three others — estimated to be worth about US$200,000 — remain missing.
After attempting to retrieve its equipment, Multi Ways received a letter from Revivify signed by its so-called in-house legal team.
The letter accused the firm of breaching the rental agreement. Since then, the company has not received further communication from Revivify.
Industry reacts with caution and future safeguards
Derrick stated that Multi Ways will implement stricter protocols moving forward, including GPS tracking and deeper background checks on clients.
“As a rental company, every (piece of) equipment is a stream of income,” he said. “So when this machine is immediately lost, this is loss of income for the company.”
He added, “There are many people that suffer from this. It’s not good for business and it makes us very wary of our next few clients.”
According to information from the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA), Revivify was registered in 2021 as a consultancy firm offering port and maritime-related services.
However, its current dealings in construction equipment rentals appear inconsistent with its declared business scope.
This discrepancy has raised questions about the firm’s actual operations and legitimacy.
All three affected firms have since urged others in the industry to carry out more rigorous due diligence when leasing high-value machinery.
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