Three new cases of fake bulk orders from 'Mindef' and 'SAF personnel'
Gabrielle Andres for The Straits Times
The Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said it has been alerted to three new cases of suspected fake bulk orders by individuals pretending to be from the ministry or the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).
In a Facebook post on Sept 23, the ministry said the cases involved the use of falsified procurement orders purportedly from Mindef or the SAF.
"We urge the public and all businesses to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the police," the ministry said.
This comes on the back of reports of fake bulk orders in recent weeks, where perpetrators have pretended to be Mindef officials or school representatives.
Those cases largely involved orders made through phone calls to businesses.
Eateries and a florist were among the businesses targeted. Those who fell victim reported preparing orders worth more than $1,000, but the orders were never collected.
On Sept 14, Mindef warned the public about fraudulent bulk orders made by individuals claiming to be SAF personnel.
It said that it had been made aware of seven such cases and had not found any evidence that the individuals involved are affiliated with the SAF.
The ministry added that it has lodged police reports regarding the matter.
Six suspects linked to such scams have since been arrested.
Three suspects aged between 16 and 31 were nabbed on Sept 15 and 16 - the first arrests made after the rash of fake bulk orders came to light.
Days later, police announced that three more people - two men and a woman aged between 17 and 28 - had been arrested.
On Sept 17, a Sri Lankan woman was charged over her alleged links to fake bulk order scams.
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