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The Star
a day ago
- The Star
41 suspected money mules in Singapore to be charged over alleged involvement in various scams
Many of the suspects were promised a commission of up to $9,000 for their bank or Singpass accounts, but were never paid. - Photo: Singapore Police Force SINGAPORE: Forty-one people are expected to be charged in the coming week for allegedly acting as money mules or allowing related activities in a variety of scams. The 32 men and nine women, aged between 16 and 64, are suspected of being involved in scams such as government official impersonation scams, rental scams, job scams, fake friend call scams and e-commerce scams. Between June 2 and 6, the 41 suspects are expected to be charged with various offences, such as helping another person retain the benefits from criminal conduct in certain circumstances, and abetment to cheating. Other offences include allowing unauthorised access to computer material, and illegally disclosing passwords or access codes to Singpass, the national digital identity service. Among the suspects, 35 are accused of having relinquished or sold their bank accounts and enabling criminal syndicates to commit money laundering. Some allegedly tricked banks into opening personal accounts before handing over the ATM cards and iBanking credentials to unknown people. Another group of suspects is believed to have unlawfully disclosed their Singpass credentials, enabling criminal syndicates to misuse their identities to open bank accounts. Many of the suspects were promised a commission of up to $9,000 for their bank or Singpass accounts, but were never paid. Those convicted of assisting another person to retain the benefits from criminal conduct or cheating can be jailed for up to three years, fined, or both. Anyone found guilty of facilitating unauthorised access to computer material for the first time can be jailed for up to two years, fined, or both. If convicted of illegally disclosing passwords or access codes for Singpass, the suspects can be jailed for up to three years, fined, or both. To avoid being implicated in such crimes, the police urge the public to always reject requests by others to use their bank or Singpass accounts. The public should also be wary of seemingly attractive money-making opportunities that promise fast and east payouts for the use of these personal accounts. 'Anyone who allows their personal bank accounts to be used to receive and transfer money for others will be held accountable if these transactions are linked to crimes,' the police said. For more information on scams, the public can visit or call the ScamShield Helpline on 1799. Anyone with information on scams can call the police hotline on 1800-255-0000 or submit the information online at Scam victims in Singapore lost $1.1 billion in 2024, marking a record high amount of losses suffered in a single year. This is around 70 per cent higher than the $651.8 million that scammers took in 2023, according to police figures released on Feb 25. Police also saw a record high number of scam reports in 2024, with 51,501 cases recorded, compared with 46,563 cases in the previous year. A total of 230 money mules were charged between August 2024 and March 2025, under tougher sentencing guidelines introduced on Aug 21, 2024. All adult offenders charged during this period were handed jail terms of at least six months, while those aged below 21 were sent for reformative training, said the police. - The Straits Times/ANN
Straits Times
a day ago
- Business
- Straits Times
6 months' jail for Chinese national who owned 4 shops selling illegal streaming devices in Sim Lim Square
Andrew Wong The Straits Times May 30, 2025 A shop owner at Sim Lim Square was sentenced to jail after admitting to selling illegal streaming devices at the mall. He is the second person in Singapore to be jailed since the Copyright Act was amended in 2021 to ban the sale of such devices that access pirated content. On May 30, Wang Yue, 36, was sentenced to six months' jail while his company Ace Technologies was fined $181,000. He had pleaded guilty to 17 charges related to copyright infringement on March 20. He also pleaded guilty to another 17 copyright-related charges served to Ace Technologies, a company he had incorporated and owned. Another 33 charges were taken into consideration during the sentencing of Wang and his company. Ace Technologies occupied four shop units at Sim Lim Square and sold the illegal streaming devices between 2018 and 2022. These devices were able to access content from Disney, Warner Bros and Discovery Inc, and English Premier League football games. Wang had sourced and purchased the devices from an unnamed overseas supplier. He admitted to instructing his employees to offer the devices for sale by telling customers they would be able to access otherwise copyrighted material with no additional charges. Each device was sold for between $149 and $249. Wang made a profit of between $39 and $99 for each sale, earning up to $18,000 monthly from the sale of the devices. He continued to sell them even after receiving two letters in January and October 2020 from the Football Association Premier League, warning him to stop the sale of the devices as they infringed on the league's copyright. The Chinese national was arrested on Oct 4, 2022, after a raid by officers from the Intellectual Property Rights Branch of the Singapore Police Force. More than 1,000 illegal streaming devices were seized from his shops. Wang's conviction is the second successful one under copyright provisions targeting commercial dealers of illegal streaming devices, after the Copyright Act was amended in 2021 to ban the sale of media streaming boxes with "add-on" services that help consumers access pirated content. In October 2024, Ge Xin, 37, was sentenced to 10 months' jail, while his two shops, MT Gadget+ and Grandnew, were fined $200,000 and $100,000, respectively. In October 2022, police officers raided several retail shops in Sim Lim Square and arrested 17 people for selling illegal streaming devices. In a statement released after Wang's sentencing, Mr Kevin Plumb, general counsel for the Premier League, said: "This case once again sends a message to pirates that their activity will not be tolerated and reminds consumers that buying these devices is a problem. "There are still more cases to follow from the significant raids in 2022, and we thank the Singapore Attorney-General's Chambers and the Intellectual Property Rights Branch of the Singapore Police Force for their commitment to these investigations and prosecutions." Click here to contribute a story or submit it to our WhatsApp Get more of Stomp's latest updates by following us on:
AsiaOne
a day ago
- AsiaOne
Over 170 travellers nabbed for evading GST, smuggling large sums of cash in island-wide operation, Singapore News
More than 170 travellers were caught across Singapore's land, air, and sea checkpoints for smuggling cash and evading tax payments on imported goods in a week-long multi-agency enforcement operation. Over 19,000 travellers and 1,600 vehicles were identified for the checks carried out from May 21 to May 27, according to a joint news release on Saturday (May 31). The operation involved the Singapore Police Force (SPF), Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA), Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB), Singapore Customs (Customs), National Parks Board (NParks), and Health Sciences Authority (HSA). Among those held, 14 foreigners — aged between 26 and 77 — were nabbed for moving cash exceeding $20,000 or the equivalent in foreign currency into and out of Singapore without declaration or with inaccurate declaration. One of these cases on May 24 involved three male travellers who were separately detected moving cash of various currencies valued between $22,938 and $541,000 into or out of Singapore without declaration. Of the 14, four were issued with Notices of Warning, while seven were issued with composition sums amounting to $27,000. The remaining three travellers are still undergoing investigations. According to the police, it is a crime not to report cash or currency of more than $20,000 when crossing Singapore's borders. If convicted, offenders will face a fine of up to $50,000, a jail term of up to three years, or both. The cash may also be confiscated. "We will take strict enforcement action against anyone who fails to make a full and accurate report of cash movements into or out of Singapore," said David Chew, director of the Commercial Affairs Department. Separately, 153 travellers were also caught for failing to declare and pay Goods and Services Tax (GST) on goods such as tobacco products, liquor, POPMART toys and undeclared luxury goods. In one case, a traveller was caught with four litres of Chinese liquor in excess of duty-free allowances. Another traveller was also caught with 20 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes. In total, the GST evaded amounted to $10,754 and $35,165 in composition sums were imposed. Under the Customs Act, those found guilty of the fraudulent evasion of customs or excise duties can face a fine of up to 20 times the amount evaded, or a jail term of up to two years. Travellers are also reminded to declare and make payment for taxable items prior to their arrival in Singapore. [[nid:710203]]
New Paper
a day ago
- New Paper
Nearly 200 travellers fined for not declaring large cash amounts, evading GST and taxes on tobacco
Close to 200 travellers were caught at the land, sea and air checkpoints for not declaring more than $20,000 in cash, or not declaring or paying taxes on tobacco and other goods. The authorities nabbed 14 foreign travellers carrying cash exceeding $20,000 or the equivalent in foreign currency into or out of Singapore without making a declaration or declaring inaccurate amounts. Four of them, men aged between 26 and 71, were caught on May 21 bringing cash of various currencies amounting to between $20,700 and $380,139 across Singapore borders. Another traveller, a 55-year-old man, was caught two days later making an inaccurate declaration when moving $399,965 and RM1,621 (S$490) into Singapore. The cash is suspected to be linked to the traveller's unlicensed moneylending activities, said the authorities. The offenders were caught during a week-long operation carried out by government agencies between May 21 and May 27, said the Singapore Police Force, Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, Central Narcotics Bureau, Singapore Customs, National Parks Board, and Health Sciences Authority in a joint statement on May 31. During the week-long operation, the authorities conducted enhanced checks on travellers and vehicles at the checkpoints. PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE Four of the 14 travellers were given warnings, while seven were fined a total of $27,000. Others are still under probe, and one has been charged with possessing property obtained from criminal activities. During the operation, the authorities conducted checks on travellers and vehicles at the checkpoints. More than 19,000 travellers and 1,600 vehicles were identified for checks, and more than 26,000 pieces of luggage and hand-carry bags were scanned or searched, the statement said. During the week-long operation, the authorities conducted enhanced checks on travellers and vehicles at the checkpoints. PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE It is a crime not to report cash or currency of more than $20,000 when crossing Singapore's borders. If found guilty, offenders can be fined up to $50,000, jailed for up to three years, or both. The cash can also be confiscated. "Smuggling cash across borders is a way by which criminals launder proceeds of crime. Singapore will not tolerate such activities, said Commercial Affairs Department director David Chew. During the week-long operation, the authorities conducted enhanced checks on travellers and vehicles at the checkpoints. PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE Other travellers were found with Pop Mart toys and branded shoes, which they failed to declare. The authorities caught 153 travellers for failing to declare and pay taxes on cigarettes or tobacco products, liquor exceeding the duty-free allowance, or goods exceeding goods and services tax import relief allowances, such as souvenirs and gifts. During the week-long operation, the authorities conducted enhanced checks on travellers and vehicles at the checkpoints. PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE The total duty and GST evaded by these travellers amounted to $10,754, and they were fined a collective $35,165. In one case, a traveller was caught carrying 20 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes. Another had undeclared luxury goods and PopMart toys, while a third had four litres of Chinese liquor in excess of duty-free allowances. A traveller did not declare the four litres of Chinese liquor that was in excess of his duty-free allowance. PHOTO: SINGAPORE CUSTOMS On May 26, five male travellers aged between 26 and 45 were caught possessing e-vaporisers upon entering Singapore. HSA officers seized five e-vaporisers and fined the travellers. Anyone found guilty of the fraudulent evasion of Customs or excise duties can face a fine of up to 20 times the amount evaded, or a jail term of up to two years.
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Straits Times
‘It can happen to you': Doctor who almost lost $4 million to fake government officials scam
Believing that she was speaking to real government officials, Dr L (not her real name) almost transferred her life savings to them. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO 'It can happen to you': Doctor who almost lost $4 million to fake government officials scam SINGAPORE - While seeing a patient, Dr L (not her real name) received a call from someone claiming to be a Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) officer working with the police. The man told her she was in trouble with the authorities. Following his instructions, Dr L, 36, wanted to transfer almost $4 million from her bank account to another account for 'safekeeping', in what she thought was a secret anti-money laundering operation. But as she was communicating with the fake official in a video call, a real policewoman called her to warn her that she was talking to scammers. Confused, Dr L struggled to discern who was lying and who was telling the truth. In a media interview arranged by the police on May 28 at Police Cantonment Complex, Dr L said the scammers were very convincing. The general practitioner said: 'I wasn't even second-guessing whether the person (fake cop) I was speaking to was really the police.' Thankfully, she trusted the legitimate authorities and did not lose any money. Sharing screen On April 8, a man with a local accent claiming to be a bank officer called Dr L just as she started her shift at a private clinic. She was not a client of the bank and was surprised to hear the man read the last four digits of her NRIC. He told her someone had used her identity to register a bank card . Her call was transferred to a purported MAS officer. Through a video call, she saw that he was sitting in a meeting room with a backdrop with the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and MAS logos. He claimed she was one of about 200 people who had their identities stolen, and that she was a suspect in a nationwide money laundering investigation. The man spoke into a walkie-talkie and referred her to his superior, a purported senior investigation officer named 'Alan Tan', who sent her an arrest warrant on WhatsApp and a photo of his MAS identification card. 'Alan Tan' said gravely: 'If your identity has been stolen, what else is at risk now? Is the money in your account safe?' Dr L, who is single, grew anxious as her parents' life savings were in the account. She said: 'To be honest, I was more worried about protecting my parents' money.' The scammers told her not to tell anyone as investigations were confidential. So for the next two hours, she locked her consultation room door and stayed on the line. She added: 'With a profession like mine, cooperation with the authorities is seen as a sign of good character.' 'Alan Tan' told her to transfer her money to another bank account to prevent identity thieves from accessing it. Dr L opened the bank app on her phone and shared her screen over WhatsApp for him to guide her through the transfer process. Believing she was setting up a bank account in her name, Dr L followed his instructions to transfer $29,999. She later learnt from the real police that the funds were being transferred to an account belonging to an unknown merchant. Battle for trust Bank employees stationed at the SPF's Anti-Scam Command flagged the transfer and quickly alerted Assistant Superintendent of Police Lynn Tan, a senior investigation officer working in the same office. The bank blocked the transfer and ASP Tan immediately called Dr L. Dr L was still on a video call with 'Alan Tan' when ASP Tan's call came in. Seeing the notification on Dr L's shared screen, 'Alan Tan' told her to answer it but warned that there were scammers impersonating the police. Hesitantly, Dr L hung up on the scammers and answered ASP Tan's call. ASP Tan said: 'I could tell she was very confused, because she thought I was the fake police.' Assistant Superintendent of Police Lynn Tan, a senior investigation officer in SPF's Anti-Scam Command, called Dr L in time and convinced her she had fallen for a scam. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO To win Dr L's trust, ASP Tan sent her an SMS via the account, which is accessible only to legitimate government officials. ASP Tan asked Dr L if she had been speaking to 'Alan Tan', a name commonly used by syndicates. Other names include 'Inspector Yang', 'Jason' and 'Kenny'. Finally convinced, Dr L ignored the scammers' subsequent calls. She headed to Police Cantonment Complex to meet ASP Tan, and lodged a report. Dr L said: 'The main feeling I have is gratitude, for the police working with the bank to protect us.' The doctor was surprised at how she had fallen for a scam, as she typically ignores calls from foreign numbers, and is not into investment schemes promising quick gains. To highly educated people who assume they would not fall for scams, Dr L said: 'It can happen to you.' In 2024, victims lost $151.3 million to government official impersonation scams, up from $92.5 million in 2023. ASP Tan urged members of the public to always verify details of people claiming to be government officials through official channels. She said the police would never ask anyone to open bank accounts or transfer money. ASP Tan added: 'I don't think this (government official impersonation scams) will die down any time soon. We need people to be educated and to be aware.' Christine Tan is a journalist at The Straits Times reporting on crime, justice and social issues in Singapore. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
