3 teens among five suspects facing charges for money mule activities
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SINGAPORE - Three teenagers aged between 16 and 17 are among five suspects facing charges linked to money mule activities that include cheating, helping with the unauthorised access to computer materials and disclosure of Singpass access codes.
The other two suspects are men aged 20 and 33.
The five suspects allegedly relinquished their bank and Singpass accounts to criminal syndicates for up to $1,000, said the police in a statement on Aug 4.
The three teenagers and the 20-year-old man allegedly tricked banks into opening bank accounts before handing over the ATM cards and internet banking credentials to the criminal syndicates.
The 33-year-old man is suspected of giving up the access code of his Singpass account to the criminal syndicates.
The suspects are expected to be charged on Aug 5, the statement said.
If found guilty of cheating, they face up to three years’ jail and a fine. For facilitating unauthorised access to computer material, they can be jailed for up to two years, fined or both. For the unauthorised disclosure of access codes, they face three years in jail, a fine, or both.
To avoid being an accomplice in such crimes, the police urged people to reject what can appear to be attractive money-making opportunities promising fast and easy payouts, for the use of their Singpass or bank accounts to transfer or receive money for others.
For more information on scams, members of the public can visit scamalert.sg or call the Anti-Scam Helpline on 1800-722-6688.
