Second Malaysian arrested in S’pore within 2 days over scams involving handover of cash, valuables

SINGAPORE – A 38-year-old Malaysian man is slated to be charged on March 7 for his suspected role in a government official impersonation scam, the police said on March 6.

He is the second Malaysian arrested in Singapore within two days for allegedly helping scam syndicates collect cash and valuables from victims.

The police said they received a report on March 4 from a victim who had received a call from an unknown person claiming to be from HSBC. The caller told her there were unauthorised transactions made on her credit card.

When the woman denied having an HSBC credit card, the call was transferred to someone claiming to be an officer from the Commercial Affairs Department, who told her she was suspected of being involved in a money laundering case.

She was asked to assist with “investigations” to prove her innocence, which included withdrawing $15,000 that had been deposited into her bank account and buying gold from pawnshop chain Maxi-Cash.

The victim then purchased more than $130,000 worth of gold, which she was instructed to leave on the passenger seat of her unlocked car at a carpark near Upper Boon Keng Road.

She was told to leave the area while the gold was used to “lure the scammer”. About 10 minutes later, the caller informed the victim that the “scammer” had been arrested and that the gold had been moved to the boot of her car.

She was then asked to go to the Police Cantonment Complex to meet an investigator.

The victim later realised she had been scammed when no one met her at the location and upon realising that the gold was not in the boot of her car.

Officers from the Commercial Affairs Department later identified and arrested a man near Woodlands on March 6.

Preliminary investigations showed that he had allegedly been tasked by unknown individuals, believed to be part of a transnational scam syndicate, to collect documents, valuables or cash from victims and pass them to other individuals.

He is also believed to have used fake staff passes to identify himself before collecting the items. Police said fake staff passes and documents bearing the names of fraudulent companies were found in his possession and seized as case exhibits.

The man will be charged with assisting another to retain benefits from criminal conduct under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act.

If convicted, he faces up to 10 years’ jail, a fine of up to $500,000, or both.

In an earlier statement on March 5, the police said more than 50 Malaysians, including a 44-year-old man, have been arrested and charged for facilitating scam syndicates to collect cash and valuables since May 2025.

The police said they have observed an increasing trend of Malaysian nationals travelling to Singapore to assist scam syndicates in collecting cash and valuables from victims.

From Dec 30, 2025, scammers and members or recruiters of scam syndicates will face mandatory caning of at least six strokes, and up to 24 strokes.

Scam mules who help launder scam proceeds face discretionary caning of up to 12 strokes.

Individuals involved in mule-related offences may face restrictions on banking services and mobile line subscriptions.

The police reminded members of the public not to transfer cash, jewellery or other valuables to unknown individuals whose identities have not been verified, nor to leave money or valuables at a location for others to collect.

They added that government officials in Singapore will never ask members of the public to transfer money over the phone, request banking login details, instruct them to install mobile apps from unofficial app stores, or transfer calls to the police.