Elderly Malaysian Woman Arrested as Mule in MAS Impersonation Scam

 

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) has arrested a 73-year-old Malaysian woman for her suspected involvement as a money mule in at least three cases of the Government Official Impersonation Scam (GOIS), in which scammers posed as officials from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).

The Scam and Modus Operandi

The scam incidents occurred between October 8 and November 24, 2025.

• Impersonation: The scammers contacted victims, claiming to be officials from the "Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS)".

• The Lie: Victims were falsely informed that their bank accounts were linked to money laundering activities or that their personal information had been compromised.

• Instruction to Victims: Victims were instructed to surrender their cash and valuables (including gold bars) to the scammers for the purported purpose of investigations.

• The Handover: Victims complied, meeting unknown individuals at various locations across Singapore to hand over the items. The victims realized they had been scammed only after the promised refunds failed to materialize or the "officials" became uncontactable.

Arrest and Seizure

The arrest of the alleged mule, who collected the illicit gains, was facilitated by a vigilant employee:

• Tip-off: On November 24, 2025, an employee at BullionStar, a gold and silver dealer located along New Bridge Road, alerted the Police to a woman loitering suspiciously outside the retail premises.

• The Arrest: Officers from the Central Police Division quickly responded and arrested the 73-year-old Malaysian woman on the same day.

• Role and Recovery: Preliminary investigations suggest the woman was acting as a mule for a scam syndicate, collecting cash and gold bars from GOIS victims across Singapore and handing them over to unknown syndicate members. The Police recovered and seized cash amounting to $200 and gold bars worth approximately $200,000 from the woman.

Police Warning and Safety Reminders

Police investigations against the woman are ongoing. The SPF reiterated its serious stance against anyone involved in scams and frauds, vowing to deal with perpetrators severely.

The Police issued a strong public advisory with key reminders:

• NEVER transfer or hand monies/valuables to unknown or unverified persons.

• NEVER place monies or valuables at a physical location for collection.

• Singapore Government officials (including MAS) will NEVER ask the public to transfer money, disclose banking log-in details, install mobile apps from unofficial stores, or hand over pre-signed cash cheques over a phone call.

• Government officials will NEVER transfer a call to the Police.