A security guard in Singapore lost S$155,081 in a job scam after being contacted via the Telegram messaging app.

The 44-year-old man, who was identified as Mohan, told Shin Min Daily News that when he threatened to report the scammer to the police, the scammer replied before becoming uncontactable: "You can send us the report record!"

According to the victim, the money he lost was savings he had "painstakingly" accumulated over the last 12 years, and he shared that he has nothing left in his bank account after being scammed.

The scam

Speaking to Shin Min, Mohan said he received a message on Telegram from user "Ambient Revue.Com" on Jun. 19.

The sender said in the message that they could provide jobs.

After expressing his interest, a user called "Yu Thing" contacted him and asked him to register for an account on a website that allows one to earn commissions upon completing tasks online.

However, before he could earn commissions, Mohan would need to pay money in advance before receiving tasks.

"The other party said that after completing 35 tasks, the money and commission can be withdrawn together, but in the process, money must be transferred to them before completing the task," he told Shin Min.

As Mohan was not suspicious of the user, he transferred money to different accounts 13 times from Jun. 19 to Jul. 28 to complete 35 tasks.

At one point, he transferred S$59,355 in one day.

In total, Mohan transferred a total of S$155,081.

Felt something was wrong when he tried to withdraw the money

Mohan felt something was wrong when he wanted to withdraw the money and commission.

When he asked to withdraw the money, the scammer told him to pay another S$120,000 in advance.

He said: "Previously, they said you could withdraw the money after completing the tasks. After I finished, the other party said I completed the tasks too slowly and needed to pay another S$120,000 in advance. Only then did I realise I might have been scammed."

When Mohan told the scammer that he would call the police, the scammer told him that "it did not matter".

"It turned out the other party told me to send the police report to them, and they said they would follow up, and then they could not be contacted," Mohan shared.

The police confirmed they had received the report from Mohan, and the case was under investigation, Shin Min reported.

"I believe I would not be able to get my money back," Mohan said.

"So I hope to share my experience as a warning to others so they would not become the next victim."

Top photos via Shin Min Daily News & Unsplash