M’sian man caught at Woodlands Checkpoint with fake employee passes, Supreme Court and MHA ‘stamps’
A 23-year-old Malaysian man was allegedly caught at Woodlands Checkpoint with fake employee passes and instruments bearing the emblems of Singapore government agencies.
The man entered Singapore on Aug 11 and was directed by Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers for enhanced checks at the Woodlands Checkpoint Arrival Bus Hall.
During the checks, officers found inking instruments bearing the emblems of the Supreme Court and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), as well as several fake employee passes bearing the man’s photograph.
Police investigations revealed that the man had no employment history with any of the organisations whose passes were found on him.
The police said in a news release on Aug 12 that such counterfeit passes and official-looking instruments are tactics commonly used by scammers to lend credibility to their operations and deceive victims into believing they are dealing with representatives of legitimate organisations.
The man is set to be charged in court on Aug 13 with the offence of making or possessing a counterfeit instrument with intent to commit forgery.
If convicted, he faces up to seven years’ jail and a fine.
Police reminded members of the public to verify the credentials of companies and their representatives, as well as the authenticity of court orders and documents.
They reiterated that Singapore government officials will never ask people to transfer money over the phone, request banking login details, instruct them to install mobile applications from unofficial app stores, or transfer their calls to the police.
Anyone with information on potential scams can call the police hotline on 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness
All information will be kept strictly confidential, said the police.
See something interesting? Contribute your story to us.
