Malaysian man to be charged over government official impersonation scam
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Preliminary investigation found that the man was tasked to collect and hand over valuables or cash from scam victims.
ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
SINGAPORE – A 27-year-old Malaysian man is slated to be charged on May 30 for his suspected involvement in a government official impersonation scam, after he allegedly helped scam syndicates collect cash and valuables from victims here.
The police on May 29 said that they received a report the previous day from a victim who answered a call about a television purchase from an unknown person claiming to be from Harvey Norman Singapore.
When the victim denied making such a purchase, her call was transferred to another scammer posing as an official from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).
The fake official told the victim that she had been involved in money-laundering activities.
He pretended to assist with investigations and then instructed the victim to meet a man near Anchorvale Crescent and hand over all her jewellery.
The victim made a police report after she realised she had been scammed. Following investigations, officers from the Anti-Scam Command identified and arrested the man on the same day.
Preliminary investigation found that he was tasked to collect and hand over valuables or cash from scam victims by individuals believed to be members of a transnational scam syndicate.
The man will be charged with abetment by conspiracy to assist another person to retain the benefits from criminal conduct. If convicted, he faces a jail term of up to 10 years, a fine of up to $500,000, or both.
He is the 30th Malaysian to be arrested here for helping scam syndicates collect cash and valuables since March.
The police said they are seeing more Malaysians travelling to Singapore for such activities.
They advised the public not to hand over cash or valuables to unknown people or to leave them at a location to facilitate further collection.
Device screens or log-in credentials should not be shared with unknown people as well, they added.
Those who have information about such crimes or have doubts can call the police hotline on 1800-255-000, or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness
All information will be kept strictly confidential, the police said.
