Singapore police have revealed details of a sophisticated AI-powered scam that allegedly used deepfake technology to impersonate senior government officials during a fake Zoom conference call, leading one victim to transfer at least S$4.9 million.
According to the Singapore Police Force (SPF), scammers created a fabricated virtual meeting featuring deepfake versions of Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and several other high-profile figures in an elaborate attempt to convince the victim that urgent government funding was required.
The victim reportedly believed he was assisting the Singapore government with a confidential financial matter linked to geopolitical tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.
Police said the scam demonstrates how cybercrime and artificial intelligence are becoming increasingly sophisticated, especially in financial fraud targeting wealthy business professionals and corporate executives.
Victim Invited To Fake Zoom Meeting With ‘Government Officials’
According to SPF, the scam began with a WhatsApp message allegedly sent by someone pretending to be the Secretary to the Cabinet.
The victim, who had previous interactions with government officials, was informed that he had been selected to attend a confidential Zoom briefing involving senior Singapore leaders and foreign representatives.
During the fake online conference, scammers allegedly used manipulated AI-generated footage featuring deepfake versions of President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Minister Indranee Rajah, and representatives from the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
Foreign officials and major international organisations were also mentioned during the briefing, including representatives allegedly linked to BlackRock and the Dubai International Financial Centre.
The scammers reportedly introduced the victim as one of several private-sector participants attending the high-level geopolitical discussion.
AI Deepfake Technology Used To Create Convincing Illusion
Police investigations later found multiple signs that the Zoom conference had been manipulated using artificial intelligence and pre-recorded footage.
According to SPF, several suspicious details stood out during analysis of the call, including poor lip-syncing between speech and facial movements, distorted backgrounds, and Zoom participant behaviour that appeared unnatural.
Investigators also discovered that the audio for multiple “participants” was allegedly broadcast from a single account instead of separate users, suggesting the entire conference had been staged.
The meeting reportedly ended with a deepfake video of PM Wong thanking attendees personally and acknowledging the victim’s participation.
Shortly after the call, another scammer posing as a lawyer allegedly contacted the victim and instructed him to transfer money as part of an “urgent funding assistance” arrangement.
The scammers assured the victim that the Singapore government would reimburse the funds within 15 days.
Only later did the victim become suspicious and contact the real Secretary to the Cabinet, eventually realising he had fallen prey to the elaborate scam.
SPF Warns Public About AI Scams And Fake Government Requests
The Singapore Police Force has since issued a strong advisory reminding the public that government officials will never ask individuals to transfer money, reveal banking credentials, or install unofficial applications.
Authorities also warned that scammers are increasingly using AI-generated videos, voice cloning, and deepfake technology to create convincing impersonations of public figures and corporate executives.
Members of the public who receive suspicious messages or requests involving financial transfers are encouraged to verify the information directly through official channels or contact the ScamShield Helpline at 1799.
The case has sparked fresh concerns in Singapore over cybersecurity, AI regulation, online fraud prevention, and digital banking security as scammers continue evolving their methods using advanced technology.