SINGAPORE: A 31-year-old Malaysian man has been arrested in Malaysia and handed over to the Singapore police for his alleged involvement in several cases of government official impersonation scam.
According to the Singapore Police Force (SPF), the suspect was apprehended on 16 September with assistance from the Royal Malaysia Police after a warrant of arrest was issued by the State Courts. He was transferred to Singapore on 17 September.
Between 12 July and 8 August, multiple victims reported being contacted by individuals claiming to be from the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
Victims were told their bank accounts were linked to money laundering activities, or that their personal information had been compromised.
In such cases, victims were instructed to hand over cash or valuables to third parties, or transfer funds to designated bank accounts, purportedly to assist in investigations. Victims only realised they had been scammed when the scammers became uncontactable or refunds failed to materialise.
Investigations revealed the suspect allegedly assisted a scam syndicate by collecting cash from victims and passing it to other members.
The Anti-Scam Command in Singapore traced his movements to Malaysia before coordinating with authorities there to secure his arrest.
The suspect is scheduled to be charged in court on 18 September with abetment by conspiracy to assist another to retain benefits from criminal conduct.
This offence carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to S$500,000, or both.
The police reiterated their firm stance against scams, emphasising that perpetrators will be dealt with according to the law.
They reminded the public never to transfer money, surrender valuables, or provide personal details to unknown persons without verifying their identities.
According to SPF, scams involving impersonation of government officials remain a significant threat, with syndicates often exploiting public trust in institutions to deceive victims.
Scam losses in Singapore hit S$456 million in first half of 2025 despite drop from 2024
In August, another two Malaysians have been accused of helping a foreign scam syndicate collect more than S$20,000 and a Rolex watch from victims in Singapore.
Initial police investigations suggest the pair were part of a Malaysia-based scam network targeting Singapore victims.
According to figures released by SPF on 30 August, scams in Singapore caused losses of S$456.4 million between January and June 2025, with 19,964 cases reported.
This represents a decline from the S$522.4 million lost during the same period in 2024. However, the number of cases involving losses above S$100,000 rose significantly.
The police said nearly 1,000 people lost at least S$100,000 in the first half of 2025, up from around 700 during the same period in 2024.
While smaller scams made up the majority—about 70 per cent of cases involved losses under S$5,000—the median loss remained substantial at approximately S$1,500 per case.
Government official impersonation scams more than tripled, from 589 cases in the first half of 2024 to 1,762 in the same period in 2025.
Losses from these scams reached S$126.5 million—an 88 per cent increase from the S$67.2 million recorded a year earlier.
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