The Police have arrested three men, aged between 40 and 44 years old, for their suspected involvement in a case of abetment by conspiracy to commit cheating.
On 3 November 2021, the Police received report from a victim who reported that she had fallen for an online job scam and lost a sum of more than $25,000 by transferring her money to local bank accounts.
Through follow-up investigations, officers from Ang Mo Kio Police Division established that one of the bank account holders had allegedly sold his bank account to one of the three men. The identity of the alleged buyer of the bank account, a 40-year-old man, was later established. He was arrested with two of his accomplices, aged 40 and 44, on 2 December 2021. The three men are believed to be involved in other similar cases of procuring local bank accounts for use in scams. Five mobile phones, two ATM cards, two mobile SIM cards and cash amounting to $5,100 were seized from them. The bank account holder is assisting the Police in investigations, and police investigations are ongoing.
The three men will be charged in court on 4 December 2021 with the offence of abetment by conspiracy to commit cheating, punishable under Section 420, read with Section 109 of the Penal Code. The offence carries an imprisonment term of up to ten years and a fine.
To avoid being an accomplice to crimes, members of the public should always reject requests by others to use your bank account or mobile lines as you will be held accountable if these are linked to crimes.
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 simple job responsibilities. Legitimate businesses will also not require job seekers to utilise their bank accounts to receive money 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.
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.
Photograph of case exhibits seized
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
03 December 2021 @ 2:35 PM