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22 Arrested, 9 Under Probe in Fake Govt Scam

 




Between 13 March and 22 May 2025, an island-wide anti-scam operation in Singapore led to the arrest of 17 men and 5 women, aged between 22 and 56, for their suspected roles in Government Official Impersonation Scam (GOIS) cases. An additional 4 men and 5 women, aged 22 to 77, are assisting in ongoing investigations.

The police began receiving reports of GOIS cases in early March 2025, involving victims receiving unsolicited calls from individuals impersonating bank staff or employees of China-based financial services. The impersonators often claimed to be from major banks such as DBS, OCBC, UOB, or Standard Chartered, or platforms like UnionPay and WeChat. Victims were falsely accused of being involved in criminal activities and were then "transferred" to scammers posing as police officers.

These fake officers would then coerce the victims into surrendering valuables such as cash, bank cards, jewellery, or gold bars, supposedly for investigation purposes. In some cases, victims were instructed to buy gold bars before handing them to the scammers’ agents.

Police investigations revealed that the 31 individuals under investigation allegedly facilitated these scams by acting as mules. These mules collected valuables from victims at public locations and either passed them to other mules or left them unattended for pickup. Victims often only realised they were scammed when the scammers became uncontactable or after verifying with legitimate institutions.

The authorities stated that these individuals may be charged under Section 55A(5) of the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act 1992, for assisting in retaining benefits from criminal conduct. The offence carries a penalty of up to three years of imprisonment, a fine, or both.

The Singapore Police Force warned the public against facilitating scams, emphasizing that using one's bank account or mobile number for others' transactions may result in criminal liability. The public was also reminded that government officials will never ask for money transfers, banking credentials, or to install unofficial apps over phone calls.

To combat such scams, the Police advise the public to follow the ADD, CHECK, TELL strategy:

  • ADD: Install the ScamShield app, enable transaction limits, activate Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) or Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), and use features like Money Lock to prevent unauthorized digital transfers.

  • CHECK: Verify suspicious messages with official sources. Call the ScamShield Helpline at 1799 or refer to official police platforms.

  • TELL: Report scams to authorities, banks, family, or friends. File police reports and act swiftly if scammed.

Members of the public with information on such scams are urged to call the Police Hotline at 1800-255-0000, or submit information anonymously at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness. For immediate assistance, dial 999. Further information on scams can be found at www.scamshield.gov.sg.

The police reaffirm their strong stance against scams and vow to pursue those involved. Investigations into the current GOIS cases are ongoing.

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