Fake bulk orders involving impersonation of SAF personnel: Boy, 16, woman, 22 & man, 31, arrested

The police have arrested three people, aged 16, 22, and 31, for their suspected involvement in fake bulk order scams involving the impersonation of Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) army personnel.

Officers from the Commercial Affairs Department’s Anti-scam Command and Central Police Division arrested the trio during raids on Sep. 15 and 16 at Middle Road, Woodlands Street 81, and Cantonment Road.

Acted on instructions

Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects had allegedly acted on the instructions of a scam syndicate, the police said in a Sep. 16 statement, as per The Straits Times.

The boy, 16, and the woman, 22, had allegedly relinquished their bank accounts to the scam syndicate for money.

The man, 31, had assisted unknown individuals to subscribe to phone lines.

The police found some of these lines linked to the bulk order scams.

The losses from the scams came up to at least S$32,000, the police said.

At least five such scam cases have been reported since Sep. 4.

The woman is to be charged in court on Sep. 17 for relinquishing her bank account.

She could be jailed up to two years, fined, or both.

Police investigations into the involvement of the man and teenager are ongoing.

Background

Prior to the arrests, a spate of fake bulk orders were apparently placed with a number of businesses in Singapore.

The person making the order each time would claim to be from legitimate organisations.

The orders would not be collected and the person who made them would become uncontactable.

The cost of the orders can be more than S$1,000 each time.

The Ministry of Defence (Mindef) warned the public in a Sep. 14 Facebook post about fraudulent bulk orders made by individuals impersonating SAF personnel.

Mindef said it was aware of seven cases and lodged police reports.

None of them involved actual SAF personnel.

Top photos via WhatsApp, Kiki Florist & Muhammad Shazain Faiha Muslim Food Paradise