After a four-day island-wide operation conducted between 17 and 20 September 2018, 65 people are under investigations for their suspected involvement in various scams. 45 men and 20 women, aged between 15 and 59, are suspected to be involved in 126 cases of scams involving more than S$311,000.
A majority of the suspects are being investigated for allowing their bank accounts to be used to receive criminal proceeds from victims of scams. If found guilty of money laundering, they can be punished with imprisonment for up to 10 years and/or a fine of up to S$500,000 under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act (CDSA).
Others are being investigated for their roles in different scams. In particular, three suspects were arrested for their suspected involvement in 11 cases of online purchase scam. If found guilty of cheating, they can be punished with imprisonment for up to 10 years and a fine under the Penal Code.
The Police would like to warn the public that anyone who knowingly allow other people to have access or control of their bank account, or receive money from strangers, dubious sources or unverified sources may be prosecuted for money laundering if the bank account is used to receive or transfer money linked to criminal activities.
Members of the public should also take the following precautions to avoid becoming a victim of scams:
- Do not panic – If you receive a call from someone claiming to be a government official asking you for payment to avoid being deported or arrested, ignore the calls as no government agency will request for payments or your personal details over the phone or through automated voice machines. Bear in mind that scammers can employ caller-ID spoofing technology to make numbers that appear on your caller-ID look like they are from official government hotline numbers.
- Do not believe – When making purchases through online classifieds, be wary of people selling items for prices that sound too good to be true. As the party you are dealing with online is a stranger, arrange for a meet-up and pay only on delivery. If advanced payments are required, online shoppers should use platforms that provide arrangements to only release your payment upon your receipt of the item.
- Do not give – Do not share your personal information such as your identification number, bank account number, One-Time Passwords, or SMS-verification codes with anyone. Your personal information may be misused by scammers;
To seek scam-related advice, you may call the anti-scam helpline at 1800-722-6688 or visit www.scamalert.sg.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
21 September 2018 @ 10:15 PM