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Five Malaysians Plead Guilty to Fake Friend Scam

 



Five Malaysian men who operated a scam syndicate targeting Singaporeans through fake friend phone calls pleaded guilty to cheating charges on March 14, 2025. The group, based in Johor Bahru, scammed at least 70 victims, causing losses exceeding $164,000.

Scam Operations

The syndicate’s members—Kek Yuan Chun (20), Chua Zi Huang (24), Heng Guo Hao (26), Loh Chuan Sheng (36), and Yee Kong Yao (37)—worked from a scam center at Marina Residence JB. They were recruited to impersonate victims’ friends over text messages and phone calls, deceiving them into making financial transfers.

Each man was initially paid RM3,000 (S$900) monthly, with some later receiving up to RM5,500. Additionally, most members earned commissions of 10% based on the total amount scammed from victims. They operated under the supervision of an individual named Tong Hua Shun, who provided food, lodging, and instructions.

The scammers worked Monday to Saturday, from 10 AM to 6 PM, using pre-prepared scripts when making calls. They would begin by asking victims if their voice sounded familiar, leading the victims to guess a friend’s name. The scammers would then assume that identity and continue conversations over WhatsApp, eventually convincing victims to transfer money to syndicate-controlled accounts.

Organized Scam Structure

Tong distributed lists of 200 Singapore-registered numbers to the scammers via Telegram groups. Once the scammers exhausted a list, they received fresh names. They updated their Telegram groups with reports, including details of successful scams, victim interactions, and screenshots of transactions.

The group also used a color-coded system to track victims:

  • Grey: Call not picked up
  • Black: Number no longer in use
  • Yellow: Someone else answered
  • Purple/Blue: Potential victim engaged

Chua Zi Huang was the most prolific, scamming 54 victims out of over $117,000. Loh deceived 53 victims for a total of $116,560, while Kek cheated 52 victims of $116,060. Yee and Heng together scammed 16 individuals, collecting more than $47,000.

Law Enforcement & Legal Action

Following a joint operation between the Singapore Police Force and the Royal Malaysian Police, authorities raided the syndicate’s base at Marina Residence JB on January 16, 2024. The five men were arrested and brought to Singapore on January 24, 2024, where they were charged.

They are set to be sentenced in April 2025. Their case comes amid a surge in scams across Singapore, with reported losses hitting a record $1.1 billion in 2024. Since 2019, over $3.4 billion has been lost to various scams.

The rising number of scam cases led to the passing of the Protection from Scams Bill in January 2025. This law grants authorities the power to restrict individuals from transferring money if there is a suspicion of fraud, aiming to curb financial losses caused by scams.


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