Nearly 460 under probe over scams that saw victims lose $11.5m

A 13-year-old was among 316 men and 141 women hauled in by the police over suspected links to more than 1,500 cases of scams that saw victims lose over $11.5 million.

The oldest among the 457 suspected scammers and money mules is a 73-year-old.

The suspects are under probe for their roles in Internet love scams, e-commerce scams, phishing scams, China officials impersonation scams, investment scams, job scams, tech support scams and loan scams.

"The suspects are being investigated for the alleged offences of cheating, money laundering or providing payment services without a licence," said the police.

Officers from the Commercial Affairs Department and across all seven police land divisions had conducted an operation between March 11 and 28, said the police.

If found guilty of cheating, a person can receive a jail term of up to 10 years or a fine.

Those found guilty of money laundering can be sentenced to up to 10 years' jail, be fined up to $500,000, or both.

For providing unlicensed payment services, a person can be jailed for up to three years, receive a fine of up to $125,000, or both.

The police said they take a serious stance against any person who may be involved in scams, adding that perpetrators will be dealt with in accordance with the law.

"To avoid being an accomplice to crimes, members of the public should always reject requests by others to use their bank accounts or mobile lines as they will be held accountable if these are linked to crimes," the police added.