Over 850 people, 15-77, being investigated in joint operation by S'pore & M'sia for suspected involvement in scams

Over 850 people, aged between 15 and 77, are being investigated in Malaysia and Singapore for their suspected involvement in scams.

These individuals are believed to be involved in more than 2,700 cases of scams, comprising mainly government official impersonation scams, investment scams, rental scams, internet love scams, friend impersonation scams, job scams and e-commerce scams, where victims reportedly lost over S$8.1 million.

More than 3,400 bank accounts suspected to be linked to scams were detected and frozen by the Anti-Scam Command (ASCom) of the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and Malaysia's National Scam Response Centre (NSRC), with more than S$2 million seized in these bank accounts.

The arrests and seizures were the outcome of a month-long anti-scam operation between Feb. 10 and Mar. 9, according to a press release by the SPF.

The operation in Malaysia was led by the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP), coordinated by the country's National Anti-Financial Crime (NFCC), and supported by Bank Negara Malaysia and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission under the NSRC.

Notable cases from the operation

34-year-old who managed a group of scammers impersonating SPF officers

On Feb. 28, a 34-year-old man was arrested in Malaysia as a result of the SPF and RMP working together.

The man was allegedly involved in managing a group of scammers who impersonated SPF officers in government official impersonation scam cases.

An arrest warrant was issued by the State Courts of Singapore and he was handed over to the SPF following his arrest.

He was charged with the offence of criminal conspiracy to commit cheating in the State Courts on Mar. 1, 2025.

Securing S$34,000 out of S$130,000 transferred to a scammer

In a case of an internet love scam, a scammer befriended a 48-year-old female through an online dating application in December 2024.

After gaining the victim’s trust, the scammer sought financial assistance, and she agreed to help.

Believing that the scammer was facing financial difficulties, the victim transferred more than S$130,000 to the scammer.

Subsequently, the victim realised it was a scam and lodged a police report.

The ASCom analysed the funds trail and found that the funds had been sent to a payment service provider’s account in Malaysia.

With the assistance of Malaysia's NSRC, more than S$34,000 was successfully secured in the account.

Joint operation between Singapore and Malaysia is the first of its kind under new network

The SPF further noted that the joint operation is the first of its kind under the auspices of FRONTIER+, a network of anti-scam centres from seven countries — Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, the Maldives, South Korea and Australia.

This network allows for information sharing, synchronised responses to scams and facilitates exchanges to develop and improve the intervention processes in each country.

Top image via Canva