Three persons, aged between 17 and 24, will be charged in court on 7 March 2025 for their suspected involvement in separate cases connected to money mule activities, which include abetting by conspiracy to commit cheating, abetting to secure unauthorised access to computer material, unauthorised disclosure of access code and assisting another to retain benefits from criminal conduct in certain circumstances.
In the first case, a 17-year-old teenager had allegedly relinquished his banking account credentials and One-Time-Password (OTP) for $150 to a criminal syndicate. He will be charged with the offence of unauthorised disclosure of access code.
In the second and third case, an 18-year-old teenager and a 24-year-old man had purportedly cheated banks into opening a total of six bank accounts and relinquishing the iBanking credentials of these bank accounts to criminal syndicates for $500 per bank account. They will be charged with offences of abetting by conspiracy to commit cheating, abetting to secure unauthorised access to computer material and assisting another to retain benefits from criminal conduct in certain circumstances.
The offence of abetting by conspiracy to cheat the bank into opening bank accounts under Section 417 read with Section 109 of the Penal Code 1871 carries an imprisonment term not exceeding three years, a fine, or both. The offence of abetting to secure unauthorised access to the bank’s computer system under Section 3(1) read with Section 12 of the Computer Misuse Act 1993 carries a fine not exceeding $5,000, an imprisonment term not exceeding two years, or both, for a first-time offender.
The offence of unauthorised disclosure of access code to gain access to any program or data held in any computer under Section 8(1) of the Computer Misuse Act 1993 carries a fine not exceeding $10,000, an imprisonment term not exceeding three years, or both, for a first-time offender.
The offence of assisting another to retain benefits from criminal conduct in certain circumstances under Section 55A(1) of the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act 1992 carries a fine not exceeding $50,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years or both.
The Police take a serious view of these offences and will not hesitate to act against individuals who may be involved in scams, and perpetrators will be 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 in exchange for Singpass or banking credentials, or for allowing 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 individuals will be held accountable if they are found to be linked to such crimes.
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.
Photo of one of the individuals who was arrestedâ–¼
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
06 March 2025 @ 8:35 PM