SINGAPORE: More than 100 public servants, including five ministers, from over 30 government agencies have been targeted by a wave of extortion emails since Tuesday, 26 November, the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) confirmed on Thursday.
The emails, which were sent to political office holders, public officers, and government agency mailboxes, demand a ransom of 50,000 USDT (approximately US$50,000) in exchange for withholding the publication of allegedly compromising videos.
The MDDI reported that the emails contained doctored images that appeared to be screenshots from these purported videos, featuring the faces of the recipients in compromising situations.
All of the extortion emails shared similar content, with the only distinction being the faces of the targeted individuals, which had been edited into the images.
The photographs of the victims were believed to have been sourced from public platforms such as LinkedIn, as reported by the MDDI.
Among the ministers targeted were Minister for Transport Chee Hong Tat and Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong, both of whom were named as recipients of the fake extortion emails.
The MDDI also noted that members of the Hong Kong Legislative Council had received similar emails on 23 November, highlighting the growing trend of these malicious attacks.
In response, the government has emphasised its zero-tolerance stance on the use of deepfakes for extortion or harassment, urging all public officers who receive such threats to report them to the police immediately.
In a Facebook post on Thursday, Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo condemned the tactics used in these attacks, labelling them “despicable”.
She added that the latest incidents seemed to target public officials whose contact details are readily accessible online, making them more vulnerable to such crimes.
Public Health Institutions Targeted
Earlier on Thursday, the Ministry of Health (MOH), one of the 31 agencies affected by the wave of extortion emails, revealed that staff at public healthcare institutions had received similar emails.
These emails contained manipulated, obscene images of the recipients, with their faces placed on images of a man and a woman purportedly involved in a compromising situation.
MOH disclosed that it had been alerted to the incident on Tuesday, with the emails threatening to expose the images unless a ransom was paid.
The emails, which came from multiple email addresses, also contained a demand for 50,000 USDT in cryptocurrency, with the threat of publishing the manipulated images unless the victim complied.
MOH further confirmed that no monetary losses have been reported by any of the affected individuals.
In a statement, the MOH condemned the harassment and abuse of its healthcare workers, reiterating its commitment to a zero-tolerance policy on such malicious acts.
The ministry also urged all public healthcare institutions, statutory boards, and staff to report similar extortion emails to the police.
The police have also addressed the issue, confirming that they had received over 20 reports of extortion emails in late November.
The emails were reportedly sent to work email addresses, and it was revealed that the personal information of the victims, including photographs and email addresses, appeared to have been obtained from publicly available online sources.
A police spokesperson advised victims to remain calm and not engage with the perpetrators. They emphasised that responding to or transferring money to the offenders would only encourage further extortion attempts.
Victims have been urged to report the incident to the police promptly and to provide any relevant evidence, such as a copy of the threatening email.
Earlier Reports of Similar Extortion Attempts
This is not the first instance of such extortion attempts in Singapore.
Earlier this year, several Members of Parliament (MPs), including Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, and MPs Tan Wu Meng, Yip Hon Weng, and Edward Chia, were among those who received similar threatening letters. In these cases, the letters contained fake, offensive images designed to intimidate the recipients into paying a ransom.
The police confirmed that more than 70 victims had reported receiving such extortion letters since March 2024.
The letters typically contained manipulated images and threats of dire consequences unless the victims made contact with the offenders.
As with the latest wave of extortion emails, the police warned that advances in photo and video editing technology, including the use of artificial intelligence-powered tools, have made it easier for malicious actors to create manipulated images and videos for extortion purposes.
The police further stated that these technologies are likely to play a larger role in future extortion attempts.
The police have provided several key pieces of advice to the public to help them avoid falling victim to such extortion schemes.
They urge individuals not to respond to threatening emails or letters, especially those demanding money or cryptocurrency.
Sharing sensitive or provocative photos or videos online or via chat apps should also be avoided, as they can be manipulated and used against the individual.
Victims who receive such extortion emails or letters are encouraged to report the matter to the police as soon as possible and to refrain from engaging with the perpetrators.
By doing so, they can help prevent further attempts of extortion from taking place.
Investigations into the current wave of extortion emails are ongoing, and the police continue to work to identify and apprehend the individuals responsible for these crimes.
