Three women, aged between 32 and 52, will be charged in court on 7 August 2019 with offences under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Offences (Confiscation of Benefits) Act.
Between June 2018 and April 2019, the Police received several reports from victims of internet love scams who were asked by online scammers to transfer money to local bank accounts belonging to the 3 women. The total amount lost by the victims is more than S$217,000. In these scams, victims unsuspectingly befriend scammers on social media platforms and develop online relationships. The scammers will then ask the victims to transfer money for various fictitious purposes, such as business loans, legal fees or courier fees for parcels that the scammers claim to be sending to the victims.
Investigations revealed that the three women had provided their local bank account details to overseas criminal syndicates. They then facilitated the commission of online scams by transferring the funds they received from victims to the overseas criminal syndicates. They will be charged under Section 44 (1) of the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Offences (Confiscation of Benefits) Act for assisting another to retain benefits from criminal conduct and acquiring or transferring criminal benefits.
Anyone found guilty of assisting another to retain benefits from criminal conduct under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Offences (Confiscation of Benefits) Act, faces up to 10 years' imprisonment, or a fine up to S$500,000, or to both. Anyone found guilty of acquiring or transferring criminal benefits under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Offences (Confiscation of Benefits) Act, faces up to 10 years' imprisonment, or a fine up to S$500,000, or to both.
Internet love scams remains a serious crime concern. To avoid falling prey to these scams, members of the public should be careful when befriending strangers online. They should also be wary when being asked to receive and/or transferring money to people whom they do not know. 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.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
06 August 2019 @ 5:30 PM