Victim leaves $150k of cash and jewellery for money mule after getting tricked by scammer posing as MAS officer
A 40-year-old man was arrested for his suspected involvement in several cases of government official impersonation scams.
The police said in a statement that they received a report on July 11 involving a scammer impersonating an official from the Monetary Authority of Singapore and instructing a victim to leave about $150,000 worth of cash and jewellery at a designated location.
The man, a cash mule, was to collect the items after being instructed by the scammer to do so.
The money mule was subsequently arrested on July 12 by officers from the Anti-Scam Command.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the man was believed to be involved in other similar cases and had allegedly been tasked by an unknown person to collect cash from victims of government official impersonation scams.
The money collected was then handed over to the said unknown person.
If convicted, he could be jailed for up to 10 years and fined up to $500,000.
The police remind the public never to transfer or hand money and other valuables to any unknown or unverified person.
Members of the public are encouraged to adopt the following crime prevention measures:
- ADD - Add the ScamShield app to block calls and filter SMSes. Set transaction limits that are adequate for daily expenses, and lower transaction notification thresholds. Alert the bank immediately of any suspicious activity in your bank account. Activate the money lock feature of your bank to "lock up" a portion of your money so that it cannot be transferred out digitally by anyone.
- CHECK - Check for scam signs with official sources such as the ScamShield app. Call and check with the 24/7 ScamShield helpline at 1799.
- TELL - Tell the authorities, family, and friends about scams. Report any
fraudulent transactions to your bank immediately and make a police report.
If you have any information relating to such crimes or if you are in doubt, call the police hotline at 1800-255-0000, or submit it online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness. All information will be kept strictly confidential.
If you require urgent police assistance, dial '999'.
