A 31-year-old Malaysian man has been arrested in Singapore for his suspected involvement in a series of Government Official Impersonation Scam (GOIS) cases. The arrest was made on 20 August 2025 by officers from the Anti-Scam Command after weeks of ground enquiries and investigations.
Between 12 July and 8 August 2025, several victims were reportedly deceived by scammers who pretended to be officials from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). Victims were told their bank accounts had been linked to money laundering, or that their personal information had been compromised. They were then instructed to hand over cash or transfer funds to designated accounts “for investigation purposes.”
The victims only realised they had been conned when promised refunds never came, or when the so-called officials cut off all contact. In this latest case, police recovered and seized $25,000 in cash from the arrested man, who is believed to have been collecting money from scam victims on behalf of unknown syndicate members.
Facing Charges Under Serious Crimes Act
The man will be charged in court on 22 August 2025 with abetment by conspiracy to assist another to retain benefits from criminal conduct under Section 51 of the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act 1992.
If convicted, he faces a jail term of up to 10 years, a fine of up to $500,000, or both. The Police stressed that they take a firm stance against scams and will pursue all perpetrators, including those who act as “money mules” for syndicates.
Police Advisory: Stay Alert Against Scams
Authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant and adopt the “Add, Check, Tell” (ACT) approach:
- ADD – Install the ScamShield app to block scam calls and SMSes. Use transaction limits and activate your bank’s Money Lock function to safeguard your funds.
- CHECK – Verify any suspicious claims with official sources. When in doubt, call the ScamShield Helpline at 1799.
- TELL – Share scam alerts with family and friends, report fraudulent activity to your bank immediately, and lodge a police report.
Those with information about scams are encouraged to call the Police Hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit details via www.police.gov.sg/i-witness. For urgent cases, members of the public should dial 999.
The Police remind all residents: never hand over money or valuables to strangers or unknown “officials” without verifying their identities through trusted channels.