SINGAPORE - Three men and one woman were arrested on Friday (Aug 17) for their suspected involvement in impersonating China officials in a series of scams, police said on the day of their arrests.

The four arrested are aged between 28 and 30.

The police had received two reports this week that two women, aged 20 and 24, had been cheated in separate cases. Unknown men who claimed to be Chinese police investigators had contacted the women, and told them that they were involved in a transnational money laundering crime.

The men then told the women to withdraw all their savings, and hand the money to bogus police agents here.

The 24-year-old woman handed over $5,110 to a man in Holland Drive on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the 20-year-old woman handed over $2,000 and 5,000 yuan ($997) to the same man along Selegie Road on Thursday.

Both women felt suspicious after handing over the money and realised that they were cheated.

Officials from the Commercial Affairs Department identified the suspects after investigations and arrested them on Friday, in Geylang Lorong 8 and Orchard Road.

The four suspects will be charged in court with dishonestly receiving stolen property. If convicted, they can be jailed for up to five years and fined.