One of the Singpass accounts was involved in laundering over S$1 million in suspected scam proceeds. - Photo illustration: Lianhe Zaobao
SINGAPORE: A 26-year-old man accused of aiding syndicates access compromised Singpass accounts obtained through fake job advertisements on Telegram will be charged on Monday (Feb 10).
The man is accused of being involved in money mule activities, the police said in a statement on Feb 9.
He is said to have helped the scam syndicates obtain Singpass credential and also gain access to bank accounts belonging to others, without the account holders’ authority.
The man allegedly used fake job advertisements on Telegram to gain access to Singpass credentials, preliminary investigations revealed.
One of these accounts was used to register a business and open a corporate bank account, which was then involved in laundering over $1 million in suspected scam proceeds.
Police believe the man may have helped scam-syndicates solicit bank accounts through various social media platforms. Two mobile phones and two ATM cards were seized as evidence.
For his alleged role in abetting unauthorised access to bank accounts, the man will face charges under the Computer Misuse Act 1993. The offence carries a fine of up to $5,000, an imprisonment term of up to two years, or both, for first-time offenders.
The charge of obtaining another person’s credentials could result in an imprisonment term of up to three years, a fine of up to $10,000, or both.
Scam cases reached an all-time high in the first half of 2024, with over $385.6 million lost across 26,587 reported incidents. Data for the second half of 2024 is not yet available.
The police have warned that they take these offences seriously and will take action against individuals involved in scams.
They advised the public to avoid falling into scams offering seemingly easy money in exchange for the use of their Singpass or bank accounts.
Individuals found to be involved in such activities can be held accountable under the law.
For further information on scams, visit www.scamshield.gov.sg or contact the ScamShield Helpline at 1799. Anyone with information related to scams can contact the police hotline at 1800-255 0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness. - The Straits Times/ANN
