M’sian man in wig impersonates MAS officer, scams victim of $140k
A 40-year-old Malaysian man was charged in court on May 2 for allegedly scamming a victim of about $140,000 by posing as an officer from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).
In a press release on May 1, the police said that the victim had received a call from an unknown person claiming to be from telco company M1, who said the victim had been signed up for a mobile line linked to a money laundering case.
When the victim denied this, he was referred to another scammer who claimed to be from the MAS. The scammers then convinced the victim that he was under investigation and had to prove his funds were legitimate.
Following the scammers’ instructions, the victim handed over cash, gold and valuables amounting to around $140,000 to the Malaysian man.
Police believe the man acted as a runner, collecting the items before passing them on to others linked to the scam syndicate. He allegedly used a fake company pass to impersonate an MAS-accredited officer and even wore a wig to conceal his identity during the collections.
He was arrested on April 30 following investigations by officers from the Anti-Scam Command and Jurong Police Division.
The man has been charged in court on May 2 with the offence of abetment by conspiracy to assist another person to retain benefits from criminal conduct under Section 51 of the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act 1992.
The offence carries a jail term of up to ten years, a fine of up to $500,000, or both.
Police added that there has been an increasing trend of Malaysian nationals travelling to Singapore to assist scam syndicates in collecting cash and valuables from victims.
Members of the public are reminded that government officials will not:
- Ask to transfer money over the phone
- Request for bank login details
- Ask to install mobile apps from unofficial app stores
- Transfer calls to the police
If you have any information on such crimes, call the police hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online. For urgent assistance, dial 999.
For more information on scams, visit www.scamshield.gov.sg or call the ScamShield Helpline at 1799.
See something interesting? Contribute your story to us.
