Between 8 May and 31 May 2023, officers from the Commercial Affairs Department conducted a three-week operation to disrupt the scam syndicates’ activities by terminating mobile phone lines and freezing bank accounts used in their illicit activities. More than 1,000 mobile phone lines were terminated and close to 50 bank accounts were frozen with a sum of more than $210,000 seized.
During the three-week operation, a 23-year-old man and a 26-year-old woman were arrested for their suspected involvement in fraudulently registering postpaid SIM cards using the particulars of unsuspecting customers. 25 men and three women, aged between 22 and 43, whose identities are believed to have been stolen, are assisting in investigations.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the 23-year-old man who worked as a mobile phone shop assistant, had allegedly accessed and stolen the identification documents from his company’s mobile device used in the registration of postpaid SIM cards. He then pre-registered postpaid SIM cards using the particulars of others and sold them to customers who wanted to purchase SIM cards without using their identities. Preliminary investigations also revealed that the 26-year-old woman allegedly abetted his offences by registering a shell company to procure unregistered postpaid SIM cards from a supplier. An assortment of paraphernalia such as mobile phones and postpaid SIM cards were seized during the operation.
Criminals can exploit such fraudulently registered postpaid SIM cards as an anonymous channel of communications for illicit activities such as unlicensed moneylending, scams and vice. Scam syndicates have also been found to perpetrate their criminal activities using such postpaid SIM cards to contact victims and to communicate amongst themselves, to evade possible detection.
Police investigations are ongoing. The offence of illegally obtaining personal information under Section 416A of the Penal Code 1871 carries an imprisonment term of up to three years and a fine. The offence of unauthorised modification of computer material under Section 5(1) of the Computer Misuse Act 1993 carries a fine of up to $10,000, an imprisonment term not exceeding three years, or both. The offence of failing to use reasonable diligence in the discharge of duties as a director under Section 157(1) punishable under Section 157(3)(b) of the Companies Act 1967, carries a punishment of an imprisonment term of up to 12 months or a fine of up to $5,000.
The Police take a serious stance against any person who may be involved in scams and will continue to clamp down on errant mobile phone shop retailers and assistants who may be indirectly facilitating illegal activities. Those involved in such illegal activities will be dealt with in accordance with the law. Members of the public are advised to refrain from purchasing pre-registered prepaid/postpaid SIM cards and to always maintain a clear view of their identification documents to prevent them from being misused during the registration of prepaid/postpaid SIM cards by handphone shop retailers or assistants.
The Police would also like to advise members of the public to exercise caution before agreeing to be appointed as directors for companies and ensure that they are able to use reasonable diligence in the discharge of their duties, if appointed. Should a director exercise inadequate supervision over the company’s affairs, there are risks that the company may be used to facilitate criminal activities, such as the laundering of criminal proceeds.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
03 June 2023 @ 4:30 PM