10 men charged over unauthorised address changes, intercepting ICA PIN mailers to take over Singpass accounts

Ten men aged between 17 and 32 have been charged for their suspected involvement in a series of unauthorised attempts to change registered residential addresses through the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority’s (ICA) electronic Change of Address (eCOA) system, said the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and ICA in a joint news release on Dec. 9.

14 people charged

According to the authorities, the case was first made public by ICA on Jan. 11, 2025. With the latest developments, a total of 14 people have now been charged in connection with the scheme.

Four men were charged in January 2025, with three receiving additional charges on Dec. 9.

The alleged mastermind, a 30-year-old man, was previously handed 42 additional charges in July and November 2025.

Changing victims’ addresses to get Singpass password

Investigations by SPF and ICA uncovered what they described as a criminal network that intercepted ICA PIN mailers, which are typically sent to verify and authenticate eCOA submissions.

The intercepted mailers were allegedly used to fraudulently change victims’ registered residential addresses.

The group purportedly did so to receive Singpass password reset letters, enabling them to take over the victims’ Singpass accounts.

Among the 14 accused, three are believed to be the main actors behind the network, while 11 are alleged to have played supporting roles.

Three key actors

The alleged mastermind, Ng Wei Chang, 30, is believed to have fraudulently changed victims’ addresses using the eCOA system and compromised 18 Singpass accounts.

He faces multiple charges, including under the Computer Misuse Act (CMA) and the National Registration Regulations (NRR).

Another man, Chaing Bang Xuan, 32, allegedly obtained NRIC details and recruited runners.

He was first charged in January and received six further charges on Dec. 9, including for transferring benefits from criminal conduct under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act.

A third key actor, Lee Ming Shen, 25, was also charged on Dec. 9 with eight offences.

He is believed to have recruited and managed a network of runners to obtain Singpass credentials and addresses used for fraudulent applications.

Supporting roles

The remaining 11 men who are believed to have played supporting roles allegedly carried out tasks such as:

• Relaying photos of PIN mailers
• Recruiting or acting as intermediaries
• Relinquishing their Singpass or bank credentials for monetary gain
• Falsely applying for address changes

They face charges under the CMA, NRR, and related abetment offences.

Seven others issued conditional warnings

Seven additional individuals who were investigated in relation to the case were given 24-month conditional warnings in lieu of prosecution.

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