Latest news with #Anti-ScamCommand
AsiaOne
26-07-2025
- AsiaOne
2 arrested for suspected involvement in government official impersonation scams , Singapore News
Two men will be charged in court on Saturday (July 26) for their suspected involvement in several cases of government official impersonation scams. The duo, aged 20 and 21, allegedly impersonated an official from the Monetary Authority of Singapore, said the police on July 25. The scammers allegedly instructed a victim to hand over $35,000 in cash to one of the men, who acted as a cash mule, according to a police report received on June 23. Following extensive ground inquiries and investigations, officers from the Anti-Scam Command managed to arrest the two men on July 24. Preliminary investigations by the police found that the other man involved is allegedly the accomplice of the cash mule. The two men were allegedly working under instructions from an unknown person to collect money from scam victims. Police also believe that the duo are involved in other similar cases. The 20-year-old man faces a fine of up to $500,000, a jail term of up to 10 years, or both if convicted on the charge of assisting another to retain benefits from criminal conduct. The 21-year-old man, charged with the offence of using property reasonably suspected to be benefits from criminal conduct, will face a maximum fine of $150,000, a jail term of three years, or both if convicted. Those with information relating to such crimes should call the police hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit an online query. Members of the public can also use the ScamShield app or call the 24/7 ScamShield Helpline at 1799 for more information on scams. [[nid:720562]]
The Star
10-07-2025
- The Star
Singaporean fugitive held in Thailand for suspected drug trafficking, handed over to CNB
The 50-year-old fugitive (centre) handed over to the Central Narcotics Bureau on July 9. - CNB SINGAPORE: A 50-year-old Singaporean man under suspicion for drug trafficking was on the run before he was nabbed in Thailand on July 5 and handed over to the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) on July 9. CNB, in a statement late on July 9, said the man had been out of the country since July 27, 2023, and that the bureau had contacted its foreign counterparts for information on his whereabouts. An arrest warrant was then issued for him for his suspected involvement in supplying drugs to associates for trafficking and sale in Singapore. The man's involvement in illegal activities was uncovered during the course of CNB's investigation into another drug trafficking case in July 2024. The accused person in that case, a Singaporean who was 64 at the time of arrest, is facing a drug trafficking charge involving about 4,990g of cannabis mixture. Also, more than S$1,000 was seized from him for suspected money laundering offences. The 50-year-old fugitive is expected to be charged on July 10 for drug trafficking offences. The man is also under probe for suspected money laundering offences, and with help from the police's Anti-Scam Command Centre and financial institutions, accounts with funds totalling more than $242,000 have been frozen. The accounts are believed to be linked to the 50-year-old man. Earlier on July 8, the Thai authorities in a Facebook post said the man was arrested during a raid at a resort in Bangkok, together with an Indonesian couple who are believed to be his accomplices. The post added that in May, a warrant was issued by CNB for his arrest, for his suspected involvement in drug trafficking activities from Thailand into Singapore. It also said the man was active in the Thai city of Pattaya. - The Straits Times/ANN
The Star
12-06-2025
- The Star
Probe into 49 for suspected money laundering involving crypto accounts, over US$156,000 seized
SINGAPORE: The police are investigating 49 people for suspected money laundering activities involving the use of cryptocurrency accounts. The suspects – 35 men and 14 women – are aged between 18 and 58, the police said on June 12. They were nabbed during an islandwide operation carried out between May 13 and 30 by officers from the police's Anti-Scam Command, who worked alongside digital payments firm StraitsX. More than $200,000 (US$156,006) was seized as a result. Early investigations showed that the suspects allegedly opened and gave up their cryptocurrency accounts or Singpass credentials in exchange for cash, which ranged from $400 to $3,000. Making use of messaging platforms such as Telegram or WhatsApp, unknown parties had made contact with the suspects, guiding them through the process. Part of the instructions they received included providing screenshots, personal details, as well as access to their cryptocurrency or Singpass accounts, which were then used to facilitate the laundering of scam proceeds. The police said the collaboration with StraitsX had 'enhanced capabilities to detect suspicious financial activities', which led to the suspects being identified. They also stressed that they take a strong stance against people who may be involved in money laundering activities, and will not hesitate to take action. In order to avoid being implicated in such crimes, the police advised people to always reject requests by others to make use of their bank or cryptocurrency accounts. Caution should also be exercised if 'seemingly attractive money-making opportunities promising fast and easy pay-outs for the use of their bank or cryptocurrency accounts' are presented. 'Anyone who allows their personal bank accounts or cryptocurrency accounts to be used to receive and transfer money or cryptocurrency for others will be held accountable if these transactions are linked to crimes,' said the police. Those convicted of assisting another person to retain the benefits from criminal conduct can be fined up to $50,000, jailed for up to three years, or both. - The Straits Times/ANN
Straits Times
12-06-2025
- Straits Times
49 under probe for suspected money laundering involving crypto accounts, over $200k seized
The suspects allegedly opened and gave up their cryptocurrency accounts or Singpass credentials in exchange for cash. PHOTO: REUTERS SINGAPORE – The police are investigating 49 people for suspected money laundering activities involving the use of cryptocurrency accounts. The suspects – 35 men and 14 women – are aged between 18 and 58 , the police said on June 12 . They were nabbed during an islandwide operation carried out between May 13 and 30 by officers from the police's Anti-Scam Command , who worked alongside digital payments firm StraitsX . More than $200,000 was seized as a result. Early investigations showed that the suspects allegedly opened and gave up their cryptocurrency accounts or Singpass credentials in exchange for cash, which ranged from $400 to $3,000. Making use of messaging platforms such as Telegram or WhatsApp , unknown parties had made contact with the suspects, guiding them through the process. Part of the instructions they received included providing screenshots, personal details, as well as access to their cryptocurrency or Singpass accounts, which were then used to facilitate the laundering of scam proceeds. The police said the collaboration with StraitsX had 'enhanced capabilities to detect suspicious financial activities', which led to the suspects being identified. They also stressed that they take a strong stance against people who may be involved in money laundering activities, and will not hesitate to take action. In order to avoid being implicated in such crimes, the police advised people to always reject requests by others to make use of their bank or cryptocurrency accounts. Caution should also be exercised if 'seemingly attractive money-making opportunities promising fast and easy pay-outs for the use of their bank or cryptocurrency accounts' are presented. 'Anyone who allows their personal bank accounts or cryptocurrency accounts to be used to receive and transfer money or cryptocurrency for others will be held accountable if these transactions are linked to crimes,' said the police. Those convicted of assisting another person to retain the benefits from criminal conduct can be fined up to $50,000, jailed for up to three years, or both . Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
AsiaOne
06-06-2025
- AsiaOne
Government official impersonation scam: Syndicate received gold bars worth 500k, cash from victims, Singapore News
Three men, aged 24, 28 and 30, will be taken to court on Friday (June 6) for their suspected involvement in a Government official impersonation scam. The police said in a news release on June 5 that a 68-year-old man who fell for the scam had lodged a report on June 3. Scammers had posed as staff from the Monetary Authority of Singapore and convinced the elderly victim that he had been implicated in an offence and needed to surrender 27 pieces of 100g gold bars for investigations. Officers from the police's Anti-Scam Command subsequently arrested the two men, aged 24 and 28, as well as a 29-year-old woman on June 4. The 28-year-old man is believed to have collected the gold bars from the victim on behalf of the scam syndicate with assistance from the other two. Following the arrests of the trio, police officers nabbed two more men, aged 29 and 30, at Woodlands Checkpoint before they attempted to leave Singapore. The 30-year-old man is believed to have worked with the earlier arrested persons in facilitating the scam syndicate to retain benefits from criminal conduct, said the police. Further investigations found that the three men, aged 24, 28 and 30, are also believed to have received gold bars valued at approximately $500,000 from a 61-year-old victim and at least $21,000 of cash from a 36-year-old victim in separate scam cases. The police seized $22,000 in cash and at least six mobile phones as case exhibits. The three men will be charged in court with the offence of abetment by conspiracy to assist another to retain benefits from criminal conduct, according to the police. If convicted, they may face a jail term of up to 10 years, a fine of up to $500,000, or both. Investigations against the 29-year-old woman and the 29-year-old man are also ongoing. The police said members of the public should always reject requests by others to use their bank accounts or Singpass accounts, to avoid being implicated in criminal activity They warned that any person who allows their personal bank accounts to be used to receive and transfer money for others will be held accountable if the transactions are linked to crimes. [[nid:718598]]
