Landing page banner

In a cross-border operation, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and the Cambodian National Police (CNP) disrupted a criminal syndicate that perpetrated Government Official Impersonation Scams (GOIS) in Singapore. The operation led to the arrest of eight Singaporean men, one Singaporean woman, two Malaysian men and one Filipino woman in Singapore, who are suspected to be members of, and involved in the crimes committed, by the syndicate.

Since December 2024, the SPF had received reports of GOIS where victims in Singapore were deceived into losing large sums of monies through a three-step process. First, scam callers would call the victims and impersonate staff from banks. Next, the scam callers would then direct the victims to another scammer, who would impersonate a government official, either a Police officer or an official from the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Finally, the scammer impersonating a government official would deceive the victims into believing that their bank accounts were implicated in an ongoing criminal investigation, and order them to surrender the funds in their bank accounts for investigations through bank transfers, by instructing them to transfer their money into bank accounts controlled by the syndicate.

Through extensive information sharing and joint investigations between the SPF and CNP, it was established that the syndicate was secretly operating out of a scam centre in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and targeted victims in Singapore. The syndicate is believed to be responsible for at least 330 reported cases involving losses exceeding S$40 million. Based on preliminary findings, members of the syndicate travelled to Cambodia willingly and earned commissions for each successful scam they committed.

During the joint operation on 9 September 2025, officers from the SPF’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Police Intelligence Department (PID) conducted raids at multiple locations in Singapore, including residential apartments and hotel rooms, leading to the arrest of the 12 persons, some of whom are believed to be acting as callers on behalf of the syndicate, and had just returned to Singapore from Cambodia. The Anti-Cyber Crime Department of the CNP also carried out raids on a building and a warehouse in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. During the raid, CNP officers discovered electronic devices and equipment believed to have been used by the syndicate. During the joint operation, more than S$2.5 million worth of funds from bank accounts and cryptocurrency wallets, 53 electronic devices, copies of scam scripts and victims’ records were seized.

The eight Singaporean men, one Singaporean woman, two Malaysian man and one Filipino woman, will be charged in court on 11 September 2025 for being members of a locally-linked organised criminal group under Section 5(1) of the Organised Crime Act 2015. If convicted, they will be liable to a fine of up to S$100,000 or to imprisonment for a term of up to 5 years, or to both. Many other syndicate members are at large. The operation by CNP is still ongoing, and the SPF is working closely with foreign law enforcement agencies to establish their whereabouts to arrest them.

Deputy Commissioner (Investigation & Intelligence) concurrent Director CID, DCP Zhang Weihan, expressed his appreciation to the CNP saying, “The SPF and the CNP have disrupted a major cross-border organised criminal group involved in scams. This successful operation is a clear signal that no criminals are beyond the reach of law enforcement. The Singapore Police Force will continue to pursue criminals who think they can hide and target Singapore from abroad. We continue to spare no effort to track down those who commit such crimes and ensure that they are brought to justice, from wherever they operate.”

The Police take a serious stance against any person who may be involved in scams, and perpetrators will be dealt with firmly and in accordance with the law. The scam situation remains of concern, and we must continue to keep our guard up. Scammers are constantly evolving their modus operandi to circumvent the anti-scam measures we have put in place. We will spare no effort in working with our law enforcement counterparts in other countries to bring scammers who target Singapore from abroad to justice. The Government will continue to work on safeguards and measures to make it harder for scammers to target Singaporeans, while continuing our anti-scam public education efforts, to empower members of the public with the knowledge, skills and tools to guard against scams. 

Photographs of operations executed by law enforcement agencies 

Operation conducted in Singapore and exhibits seized





Operation conducted in Cambodia and equipment/evidence seized








 
Photos of documents found in warehouse