Fake bulk order scams: S'pore police arrest 3 more people, aged 17, 21 & 28

The Singapore police have arrested three more people, aged 17, 21, and 28, over their suspected involvement in fake bulk order scams in which individuals impersonated members of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).

The trio were arrested on Sep. 18 and 19, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said on Friday.

Police officers from the Commercial Affairs Department's Anti-Scam Command and the Central Police Division conducted simultaneous raids in Bukit Batok West, Fernvale Lane in Sengkang, and Northshore Drive in Punggol.

Allegedly acted on scam syndicate instructions

Preliminary investigations revealed that those arrested had allegedly acted on instructions of a scam syndicate to facilitate the perpetration of this scam variant, the police added in their statement.

The police said the 28-year-old man had allegedly relinquished his Singpass credentials to the scam syndicate for monetary gains.

The 17-year-old girl and the 21-year-old man had assisted unknown individuals to subscribe to phone lines.

The police said: "Some of these lines were found to be linked to scam cases of this variant."

Police investigations are ongoing.

Background

Some businesses in Singapore have received fake bulk orders by people posing as SAF personnel.

On Sep. 16, three people — a boy, 16, a woman, 22, and a man, 31 — were arrested for their suspected involvement in similar scams.

The woman was charged in court on Sep. 17.

The offence of disclosing one's Singpass credentials to facilitate an offence carries a penalty of up to three years in prison, a fine, or both.

Those who knowingly provide a fraudulently registered SIM card to another person to facilitate a crime for any gain face up to three years in prison, a fine of up to S$10,000 (US$7,780), or both.

Top photos via Muhammad Shazain Faiha Muslim Food Paradise & Unsplash