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The Police have arrested 38 persons, aged between 15 and 52, and are investigating another nine persons, aged between 16 and 55, for their suspected involvement in scams as money mules. This follows a four-day operation by officers from the Commercial Affairs Department and the seven Police Land Divisions, conducted over 28 October and 31 October 2025. 

The arrests follow a surge in scam cases in September and October 2025, where victims reported losing money through fraudulent PayNow QR codes generated through YouTrip. Preliminary investigations revealed that scammers had exploited multiple scam types, including e-commerce scams, friend impersonation scams, job scams, government officials impersonation scams, investment scams and rental scams, to instruct victims to make multiple payments through YouTrip QR codes.

In these cases, the scammers generated PayNow QR codes through the YouTrip platform and sent them to victims under false pretences, claiming the codes were required for legitimate payments or account verification. When victims scanned these codes using their internet banking applications and confirmed the transactions, their money was transferred directly into the scammers' YouTrip wallets. According to YouTrip, such PayNow QR codes generated through the YouTrip platform are for the purposes of topping up YouTrip wallets, with money from the user’s bank account to their own YouTrip account, and were not to be used as a third-party transfer service.

Intensive funds tracing revealed that the funds in the scammers' YouTrip accounts were mainly withdrawn from overseas Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) on the same day the scams occurred. In some cases, the stolen money was quickly moved out of the YouTrip accounts through online transfers or digital payments, effectively emptying the accounts.

Pursuant to the police reports lodged, officers from the Anti-Scam Command and the seven Police Land Divisions commenced an island-wide operation. 38 persons were arrested for allegedly selling or renting their payment accounts to criminal syndicates for monetary gains. Preliminary investigations revealed that they had also handed over their payment cards and login credentials to the scam syndicates to facilitate fund withdrawals. Nine other persons are assisting with investigations. During the course of investigations, one person was found to be an Internet Love Scam victim who had opened a YouTrip account under the instructions of the scammers. The 55-year-old woman suffered losses of approximately $300,000. 

Investigations also revealed that these persons had responded to messages on Telegram advertising the buying or renting of their YouTrip accounts, with promises of fast and easy cash. Since September 2025, the Police have disrupted 335 Telegram monikers advertising such services involving YouTrip accounts.

These persons are being investigated for the alleged offences of cheating, abetting unknown persons to secure unauthorised access to the bank’s computer system and money laundering. The offence of cheating under Section 417 of the Penal Code 1871 carries an imprisonment term of up to three years, a fine or both. The offence of facilitating unauthorised access to computer material under Section 3(1) of the Computer Misuse Act 1993 carries an imprisonment term of up to two years, a fine or both, for a first conviction. The offence of assisting another to retain benefits from criminal conduct under Section 55A(5) of the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act 1992 carries an imprisonment term of up to three years, a fine or both.

On 17 September 2025, the Singapore Police Force, Monetary Authority of Singapore, Infocomm Media Development Authority, and Government Technology Agency of Singapore announced new measures effective from October 2025 to restrict scam mules' access to facilities which could be exploited to facilitate scams, including financial, telecommunications and Singpass/Corppass services.

Under the new facility restriction framework, scam mules may be barred from using banking services that enable the movement of illicit funds. This includes card-based transactions, ATM withdrawals and online banking through Internet or mobile platforms. Access to Singpass accounts could also be restricted, preventing individuals from using Singpass to open bank accounts or register for other high-risk services.

The arrested persons will face restrictions calibrated according to the risks posed by each person, taking into consideration their basic financial and communication needs.

The Police take a serious stance against any person who may be involved in scams, and perpetrators will be dealt with in accordance with the law. To avoid being an accomplice to crimes, members of the public should always reject requests by others to use your bank account or mobile lines as you will be held accountable if these are linked to crimes.

We would like to remind members of the public to NEVER transfer or hand monies / valuables to unknown persons and persons whose identity you did not verify. NEVER place monies or valuables at a physical location to facilitate subsequent collection. Do not share the screens of your devices with any unknown persons. Singapore Government officials, including those from MAS, will never ask members of the public to do the following things over a phone call:

1. Ask you to transfer money;   
2. Ask you to disclose banking log-in details;   
3. Ask you to install mobile apps from unofficial app stores; or 
4. Transfer your call to Police

For more information on scams, members of the public can visit www.scamshield.gov.sg or call the ScamShield Helpline at 1799. Anyone with information on such scams may call 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.

Photos of Arrests























Sample Photo of YouTrip QR Code