Singapore Police Force Press Release – The Anti-Scam Command (ASCom) of the Singapore Police Force (SPF), in collaboration with six other law enforcement agencies, has successfully conducted a month-long anti-scam operation from April 28 to May 28, 2025. This operation, which involved a total of 2,784 officers, has led to the arrest of more than 1,800 individuals and the investigation of over 33,900 subjects suspected of involvement in various scam activities.
Scope of the Operation
The operation included participation from the following agencies:
- Hong Kong SAR’s Anti-Deception Coordination Centre
- Republic of Korea’s National Counter Scam Centre
- Malaysia’s National Scam Response Centre
- Republic of Maldives’ Anti-Scam Centre
- Thailand’s Anti-Online Scam Operation Centre
- Macao SAR’s Anti-Fraud Co-Ordination Centre
The arrested subjects, aged between 14 and 81, are believed to be involved in over 9,200 scam cases, including government official impersonation scams, investment scams, rental scams, internet love scams, friend impersonation scams, job scams, and e-commerce scams. Victims have reported losses exceeding S$289 million (approximately USD225 million).
Key Outcomes in Singapore
In Singapore, the operation resulted in the investigation of 545 subjects and the arrest of 106 individuals involved in more than 1,300 local scam cases, leading to approximately S$39.3 million (USD30.6 million) in reported losses. Law enforcement agencies seized over S$7.69 million (USD5.90 million) from 714 frozen bank accounts linked to these scams.
Ongoing Investigations
The subjects are being investigated for various offenses, including:
- Abetment to cheating under Section 417 read with Section 109 of the Penal Code 1871
- Abetment to unauthorized access to computer material under Section 3(1) read with Section 12 of the Computer Misuse Act 1993
- Assisting another to retain benefits of drug dealing or benefits from criminal conduct under Section 55A of the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act 1992
- Unlawful disclosure of password or access code in relation to national digital identity service under Section 8A of the Computer Misuse Act
Successful Recoveries
In two separate cases of Chinese Services Impersonation Scam, victims were instructed to transfer S$25,000 and S$45,000 to local bank accounts provided by the scammer. After realizing they had been scammed, the victims reported the incidents to the police. The Anti-Scam Centre traced the funds and, with the assistance of Malaysia’s National Scam Response Centre, successfully recovered over S$19,000 from bank accounts in Malaysia.
Commitment to Combatting Scams
Director of the Commercial Affairs Department, Mr. David Chew, emphasized the need for international cooperation in combating scams, stating, “A transnational threat requires a transnational response. Operation FRONTIER+ epitomizes the effectiveness of international cooperation in fighting scams. By combining our resources and enforcement capabilities, we are creating a united front against scams.”
Operation FRONTIER+
The FRONTIER+ initiative, a cross-border anti-scam collaboration platform, includes representatives from anti-scam centers in ten jurisdictions: Singapore, Hong Kong SAR, Malaysia, Thailand, the Republic of Maldives, the Republic of Korea, Australia, Macao SAR, Canada, and Indonesia. This platform aims to enhance international cooperation and combat the growing threat of scams through real-time intelligence exchange and periodic joint operations.
For more information on scams, the public can visit www.scamshield.gov.sg or call the ScamShield Helpline at 1799. Anyone with information regarding scams is encouraged to contact the Police Hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness. All information will be kept strictly confidential.