In an island-wide anti-scam enforcement operation conducted between 22 and 26 November 2021, the Police arrested 35 men and four women, aged between 16 and 65, for their suspected involvement in perpetrating job scams and phishing scams involving ‘free’ Singapore Bicentennial commemorative notes. Investigations against another 74 individuals are also ongoing.
Job Scams
In such job scams, victims would chance upon job advertisements offering quick cash on social media platforms and chat applications. The job would require victims to order items from online platforms to improve its sales volume. They would then be made to pay for the items via funds transfer to various bank accounts. At the initial stage, victims would receive a payment on top of a well-paid commission. However, when the scam progressed to a point where victims had spent large sums on their orders, their job contact would become uncontactable.
Phishing Scams Involving Singapore Bicentennial Commemorative Notes
In such phishing scams, victims would receive text messages from scammers informing them of their eligibility to receive free Singapore Bicentennial commemorative notes and would be directed to allegedly spoofed URL links. Upon clicking on the link, victims would be redirected to fraudulent websites which resemble the homepage of a purported bank’s internet banking website and they would then be tricked into providing their internet banking credentials. Victims would only realise they had been scammed when they discovered unauthorised transfers of monies out of their bank accounts.
Island-wide Anti-scam Enforcement Operation
During the five-day island-wide operation mounted by officers from the Commercial Affairs Department and seven Police Land Divisions, a total of 80 men and 33 women were investigated, and among them, 39 individuals were arrested. Those investigated were involved in over 900 job scams and phishing scams, where losses amounting to more than $20 million are involved. Preliminary investigations revealed that they had allegedly sold their bank accounts or relinquished their Singpass credentials to criminal syndicates. They were promised with fees as much as $5,000 for each bank account sold and/or $400 for each set of Singpass credentials sold. However, majority of them did not receive the promised fees. Some were also found to have allegedly rented out their bank accounts to scammers or assisted them in carrying out bank transfers and withdrawals.
Police investigations are ongoing. The offence of cheating under section 417 of the Penal Code carries an imprisonment term of up to three years and a fine. The offence of money laundering under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act carries an imprisonment term not exceeding 10 years, a fine not exceeding $500,000, or both. The offence of facilitating unauthorised access to computer material carries an imprisonment term not exceeding two years, a fine, or both for first-time offenders. The offence of carrying on an unlicensed business of providing payment service under Section 5 of the Payment Services Act 2019 carries an imprisonment term not exceeding three years, a fine not exceeding $125,000, or both.
The Police would like to caution job seekers to be wary of job advertisements that promise the convenience of working from home and an unreasonably high salary for relatively easy job responsibilities. Legitimate businesses will not require job seekers to utilise their bank accounts to receive monies on behalf of the businesses. These acts are common ruses used by scammers to lure individuals into carrying out illicit payment transfers on their behalf.
The Police would also like to remind members of the public not to click on URL links provided in unsolicited emails and text messages. Always verify the authenticity of the information with the official website or sources, and never disclose personal or internet banking details and one-time password to anyone.
To avoid becoming involved in money laundering activities, members of the public should always reject request of using their personal bank accounts to receive and transfer money for others.
For more information on scams, members of the public can visit www.scamalert.sg or call the Anti-Scam Hotline at 1800-722-6688. Anyone with information on such scams may call the Police Hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness. All information will be kept strictly confidential.
Source: Singapore Police Force