38 arrested, 9 investigated over suspected money mule activities linked to YouTrip accounts
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Some 47 people were rounded up after an operation by officers from the Commercial Affairs Department and the seven Police Land Divisions from Oct 28 to Oct 31.
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SINGAPORE – Thirty-eight people, aged between 15 and 52, were arrested over four days at the end of October for their suspected involvement in scams as money mules, the police said in a release on Nov 1.
They had allegedly sold or rented their payment accounts to criminal syndicates for monetary gain.
Another nine people, aged between 16 and 55, are being investigated for their involvement. One of these nine, a 55-year-old woman, had previously been an internet love scam victim who lost about $300,000.
The 47 people were rounded up after an operation by officers from the Commercial Affairs Department and the seven Police Land Divisions from Oct 28 to Oct 31.
The arrests follow a surge in scam cases in September and October, where victims reported losing money through fraudulent PayNow QR codes generated through YouTrip,
Preliminary investigations showed that scammers had exploited multiple scam types, including e-commerce scams, friend impersonation scams, job scams, government officials impersonation scams, investment scams and rental scams, to instruct victims to make multiple payments through YouTrip QR codes.
The police said that scammers generated PayNow QR codes through the YouTrip platform and sent them to victims. The scammers claimed the codes were required for legitimate payments or account verification.
When victims scanned these codes using their internet banking applications and confirmed the transactions, their money was transferred directly into the scammers’ YouTrip e-wallets.
According to YouTrip, such PayNow QR codes generated through the YouTrip platform are for the purposes of topping up YouTrip wallets, with money from the user’s bank account to their own YouTrip account, and were not to be used as a third-party transfer service.
Intensive funds tracing showed that the funds in the scammers’ YouTrip accounts were mainly withdrawn from overseas ATMs on the same day the scams occurred, the police added.
In some cases, the stolen money was quickly moved out of the YouTrip accounts through online transfers or digital payments, effectively emptying the accounts.
Officers from the Anti-Scam Command and the seven Police Land Divisions commenced an islandwide operation after police reports were lodged.
Preliminary investigations showed that the 38 people arrested had also handed over their payment cards and login credentials to the scam syndicates to facilitate fund withdrawals.
Investigations also showed that those arrested had responded to messages on Telegram advertising the buying or renting of their YouTrip accounts, with promises of fast and easy cash.
Since September, the police have disrupted 335 Telegram monikers advertising such services involving YouTrip accounts.
Those arrested in the latest case are being investigated for the alleged offences of cheating, abetting unknown persons to secure unauthorised access to a bank’s computer system, and money laundering.
The offence of cheating carries a jail term of up to three years, a fine, or both.
Those found guilty of facilitating unauthorised access to computer material can face a jail term of up to two years, a fine, or both, for a first conviction.
The offence of assisting another to retain benefits from criminal conduct carries a jail term of up to three years, a fine, or both.
The police added that those arrested will face restrictions calibrated according to the risks posed by each person, taking into consideration their basic financial and communication needs.
The police advised people not to transfer or hand over money or valuables to unknown individuals whose identities have not been verified, or place them at a physical location for subsequent collection.
They said government officials will never ask the public to transfer money, disclose banking details or install mobile apps from unofficial app stores over the phone.
If in doubt, call the ScamShield helpline at 1799 to check.
Those with information on scams can call the police hotline at 1800-255-0000, or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness
All information will be kept confidential, the police said.
