Five Malaysian men were arrested in Johor on Jan. 16 for a suspected "fake friend" scam targeting Singaporeans.

Malaysian police arrested the men, aged between 19 and 36, in two Johor apartment raids on Jan. 16, 2024, reported The Straits Times.

"Fake friend" scams involve scammers contacting victims via text message or phone/WhatsApp calls and pretending to be their friend or acquaintance before subsequently asking for a loan, according to the Singapore Police Force (SPF).

Early investigations found that the syndicate the men are part of began operations in June 2023 and is suspected of being involved in more than 500 police reports. Victims of these scams allegedly lost more than S$1.4 million in total.

CNA, quoting David Chew, director of SPF's Commercial Affairs Department (CAD), said that the arrest was part of SPF and the Royal Malaysia Police's joint operations to disrupt such activities by transnational scam syndicates targeting Singaporeans.

The men were extradited to Singapore on Jan. 23 and will be charged with conspiracy to cheat on Jan. 24.

If found guilty, they will be sentenced to jail for up to 10 years or fined.

SPF advises the public to be wary of suspicious calls or texts from strangers claiming to be a "friend", especially if they ask for a loan shortly.

The public is also encouraged to take extra measures to prevent such scams by installing the Scamshield app on mobile devices and referring to official sources such as www.scamalert.sg or the Anti-Scam Helpline at 1800-772-6688.

Top photos by Singapore Police Force.