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The Police have arrested 14 men and three women, aged between 17 and 45, for their suspected involvement in various scams such as government official impersonation scam, job scam, e-commerce scam, investment scam, fake buyer scam, remittance scam and malware-enabled phishing scam, amounting to more than $1.6 million in losses. 

Investigations revealed that the 17 persons had allegedly relinquished or sold their bank accounts and/or Singpass credentials, enabling criminal syndicates to carry out money laundering. Some allegedly cheated the banks into opening bank accounts and handed over their iBanking credentials to unknown persons.  One of the 17 persons was also believed to have assisted criminal syndicates to make ATM cash withdrawals from several bank accounts.

The 17 persons will be charged in court from 3 to 7 November 2025 with offences relating to scam-related money mule activities including abetment to cheating, assisting another to retain benefits from criminal conduct, abetting unauthorised access to computer material and unlawful disclosure of password or access code. They will also be subject to restrictions on their access to banking services that could be used to move scam monies, namely digital banking services (including Internet banking and mobile banking), card-based transactions, and ATM services.

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. 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 unlawful disclosure of password or access code under Section 8(1) of the Computer Misuse Act 1993 carries an imprisonment term of up to three years, a fine or both. 

The Police take a serious view of these offences and will not hesitate to take action against individuals who may be involved in scams, and perpetrators will be sternly dealt with in accordance with the law. To avoid being an accomplice in these crimes, members of the public should always reject seemingly attractive money-making opportunities promising fast and easy pay-outs for the use of their Singpass accounts, bank accounts, or allow their personal bank accounts to be used to receive and transfer money for others. 

The Police would like to remind members of the public that anyone found to be linked to such crimes will be held accountable. Under the Facility Restriction Framework, individuals involved in mule-related offences – whether they are under investigation and assessed to be at risk, or have been warned, issued with composition sums, prosecuted, or convicted – may face restrictions on banking services and mobile line subscriptions to prevent further facilitation of scams.