M'sian man arrested for suspected role in government official impersonation scam, $25k cash seized
A 31-year-old Malaysian man has been arrested for his suspected involvement in government official impersonation scams (GOIS), the police said in a statement on Aug 21.
Between July 12 and Aug 8 this year, several victims were allegedly duped into handing over cash after being contacted by scammers claiming to be from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).
Victims were told their bank accounts had been linked to money laundering or that their personal information had been compromised. They were then instructed to surrender money or valuables, or transfer funds to bank accounts for 'investigations'.
Only later did they realise they had been scammed when the promised refunds never came and the scammers could no longer be reached.
Through extensive ground enquiries, officers from the Anti-Scam Command identified the man and arrested him on Aug 20.
Preliminary investigations revealed that he had allegedly been tasked by an unknown person to collect cash from victims and hand it over. Police said he is believed to be linked to other similar cases.
About $25,000 in cash was seized.
The man will be charged in court on Aug 22 with abetment by conspiracy to assist another to retain benefits from criminal conduct. If found guilty, he faces up to 10 years' jail, a fine of up to $500,000, or both.
Police stressed they take a serious stance against scams, and warned the public not to hand over money or valuables to unknown persons.
Members of the public are urged to adopt precautionary steps:
- ADD: Install the ScamShield app to block scam calls and SMSes. Set transaction limits and activate Money Lock features with your bank.
- CHECK: Verify suspicious claims through official sources or the ScamShield Helpline (1799).
- TELL: Alert authorities, family and friends about scams, and report fraudulent transactions immediately.
Anyone with information on such crimes can call the police hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit it at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness. For urgent help, dial 999.
For more information, visit www.scamshield.gov.sg or call the 24/7 ScamShield Helpline at 1799.
