$5.4m scam: Suspect back in S'pore after being arrested in KL

A 20-year-old Malaysian man has been arrested in Kuala Lumpur for his suspected involvement in a $5.4 million scam here.

The man was arrested on Tuesday and was brought back to Singapore yesterday with the help of the Royal Malaysian Police, said the Singapore Police Force in a statement.

If convicted on charges of dishonestly receiving stolen property, he faces up to five years in jail or a fine, or both.

The man is one of the suspects allegedly involved in an impersonation scam, in which a woman was cheated of $5.4 million.

Last November, the scammers told the woman they were officials from China and that she had to surrender all her money to them to assist in investigations.

She then delivered the money to different strangers at various locations in Singapore over a one-week period.

The suspects then left Singapore after allegedly committing the crime, said the police statement.

Director of Commercial Affairs Department David Chew thanked the Malaysian police for their strong support and assistance in arresting the suspect.

He added: "We will spare no effort to identify, arrest and charge these criminals and their money mules.

"While they may try to leave Singapore to evade responsibility for their criminal acts, this arrest is testament to the continuing resolve of the police, both here and abroad, to bring them to justice."

The police also advised members of the public to ignore such calls and the caller's instructions when they receive unsolicited calls to surrender money in order to avoid criminal investigations.

No government agency will demand payment through an undocumented medium like a telephone call or other social messaging platforms, or ask for personal banking information, said the police.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on January 19, 2018, with the headline $5.4m scam: Suspect back in S'pore after being arrested in KL. Subscribe