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The Singapore Police Force (SPF) would like to alert members of the public to recent incidents involving tampered Ledger cryptocurrency hardware wallets. Since 10 September 2026, at least two cases have been reported, with total losses amounting to about $3.5 million.

Preliminary investigations revealed that Ledger cryptocurrency hardware wallets purchased from some retail stores in Singapore contained malicious hardware components. These components could capture users’ recovery phrases or private keys, allowing unauthorised persons to access their cryptocurrency wallets and transfer their assets without their knowledge or consent. The SPF is in contact with Ledger, which is reviewing the affected cases. Police investigations are ongoing.

The Police would like to advise members of the public to be cautious when holding or transacting cryptocurrencies. We encourage members of the public that hold or transact in cryptocurrencies to adopt the following precautionary measures:

1. Stay updated. Users should refer to official advisories issued by their respective hardware wallet providers for up-to-date information and advice on precautionary measures.
   
   
2. Avoid holding cryptocurrencies in devices suspected to be tampered with and take appropriate steps to safeguard them. Users should refrain from entering their recovery phrases or conducting further transactions when using such suspected devices. Please contact your respective hardware wallet provider through official support channels for assistance. Users who suspect that their recovery phrases or private keys have been compromised should consider transferring their remaining cryptocurrency assets to a new, trusted wallet with a newly generated recovery phrase using an uncompromised device.
   
   
3. Never disclose your private keys, recovery or seed phrases. Do not share your private keys, recovery or seed phrases with anyone, including persons claiming to represent hardware wallet providers, cryptocurrency exchanges or law enforcement agencies. Be wary of unsolicited messages offering wallet verification or recovery assistance.

If you have any information relating to such crimes, please call the Police Hotline at 1800-255-0000, or submit it online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness. All information will be kept strictly confidential. If you require urgent Police assistance, please dial ‘999’. If you are unsure if something is a scam, call the 24/7 ScamShield Helpline at 1799 or download the ScamShield app to check, detect and block scams. For more information on scams, visit www.scamshield.gov.sg.