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Five Malaysian Jailed for Targeting Seniors Behind Fake Friend Scam

 



On April 3, 2025, five Malaysian men were sentenced to jail and fined for their roles in a transnational scam operation based in Johor Bahru. The group was involved in a "fake friend scam call" scheme that defrauded at least 70 victims in Singapore, causing losses exceeding $164,000. Their victims, many of whom were elderly individuals aged between 68 and 76, were tricked into transferring money through deceptive phone calls and messages.

The scammers pretended to be friends or acquaintances of their targets, persuading them to send money under various false pretexts. The men were recruited between May and August 2023 and operated from a scam center at the Marina Residence JB condominium. Each was paid between RM3,000 (S$915) and RM5,500 monthly, along with commissions of 10% based on the amounts they swindled. They were also provided with food and accommodation.

Among them, Chua Zi Huang, 24, received the harshest sentence—four years and seven months in jail, along with a $12,000 fine. If he fails to pay the fine, he will serve an additional 25 days behind bars. He had targeted 54 victims, who lost over $117,000. Loh Chuan Sheng, 36, who defrauded 53 victims of $116,560, was sentenced to four years and four months in jail and fined $21,000. Should he default, he faces an extra 40 days of imprisonment. Kek Yuan Chun, 20, deceived 52 people, accumulating $116,060 in fraud. He was sentenced to four years and two months in jail, fined $9,000, and faces an additional 20 days in jail if he fails to pay.

Heng Guo Hao, 27, and Yee Kong Yao, 37, worked together to cheat 16 victims out of over $47,000. Both were sentenced to three and a half years in jail. Heng received a $15,000 fine and faces an additional 30 days in jail if he fails to pay, while Yee was fined $11,000 and will serve 25 extra days if he defaults.

These scammers followed a systematic approach under the direction of a figure known as "Tong Hua Shun." Tong would distribute lists containing around 200 potential victims’ Singapore-registered phone numbers to Telegram groups controlled by the syndicate. The scammers would then contact these individuals using prepared scripts. They initiated conversations by asking if their voices sounded familiar, prompting victims to assume they were someone they knew. The scammers would then continue the deception over WhatsApp messages before requesting financial help. Once a victim transferred money, the scammers would update their Telegram groups with transaction details, allowing Tong or his assistant to provide more bank account details for further scams.

Collaboration between the Singapore Police Force and the Royal Malaysian Police led to the syndicate’s downfall. On January 16, 2024, Malaysian authorities raided the Marina Residence JB condominium units and arrested the five men. A week later, they were handed over to Singaporean authorities and formally charged in court.

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Location: Singapore

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