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The Police have arrested 17 men and three women, aged between 16 and 64, for their suspected involvement in various scam types, such as Government Officials Impersonation Scam (GOIS), Job Scam, E-Commerce Scam, Investment Scam, Internet Love Scam, and Sexual Services Scam. They will be charged in court from 17 to 21 August 2026 for offences connected to scam-related money mule activities, which include abetment to cheating, acquiring another person’s benefit from criminal proceeds, assisting another to retain benefits from criminal conduct, abetting unauthorised access to computer material, unlawful disclosure of passwords or access codes, and knowingly providing fraudulently registered postpaid SIM cards for monetary gain.

Investigations revealed that the 20 individuals were believed to have facilitated scam activities by relinquishing or selling their bank accounts, assisting in receiving or transferring funds or collecting cash from scam victims, and  enabling criminal syndicates to commit money laundering. Some individuals allegedly cheated banks into opening bank accounts, before handing over their internet banking credentials to unknown persons. One individual had purportedly disclosed his Singpass credentials unlawfully and enabled criminal syndicates to misuse his identity in the opening of a bank account. Another individual had purportedly assisted criminal syndicates in registering SIM cards in return for monetary rewards.

The offence of acquiring another person’s benefit from criminal proceeds under Section 54(5) of the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act 1992 carries an imprisonment term of up to ten years, a fine, or both.

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 8A of the Computer Misuse Act 1993 carries an imprisonment term of up to three years, a fine, or both.

The offence of knowingly providing a fraudulently registered SIM card to another person to facilitate a crime for any gain under Section 39B of the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act 1906 carries an imprisonment term of up to three years, a fine, or both.

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. Members or recruiters of scam syndicates will face mandatory caning of at least six strokes, and up to 24 strokes. Scam mules who enable scammers by laundering scam proceeds will face discretionary caning of up to 12 strokes. This includes certain money-laundering offences under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act; Singpass offences under the Computer Misuse Act; and certain SIM-card offences under the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act.

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.

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.