SINGAPORE: A man is facing charges over his suspected role in money mule activities involving S$80,000.
On Thursday (July 10), Wong Chun Hou, 27, was handed one charge each for possessing and attempting to possess property that represented benefits from criminal conduct.
He allegedly committed the offences on July 8.
According to court documents, Wong is accused of having $5,000 in his possession and attempting to possess $75,000. The money is allegedly benefits from criminal conduct.
The police said they received a report on June 24 from a victim, who claimed she was deceived into handing over $90,000 in cash to unknown individuals over two occasions in an online cryptocurrency investment scam.
The money was allegedly meant to top up her online investment account, which was later discovered to be fake.
Officers from Ang Mo Kio Police Division arrested Wong while he was allegedly attempting to collect additional funds from the victim.
He was also said to have collected $5,000 from another victim in a similar scam.
Wong’s case was adjourned for investigations to be completed. It will be heard again on Aug 7.
The police said they take a serious stance against those involved in money mule activities.
“To avoid being an accomplice in these crimes, members of the public should always reject seemingly attractive money-making opportunities promising fast and easy payouts... the use of their Singpass accounts (and) bank accounts, or allowing their personal bank accounts to be used to receive and transfer money for others.”
In 2024, scam victims in Singapore lost $1.1 billion, marking a record high amount of losses suffered in a single year.
Almost 25 per cent of this involved cryptocurrency, a surge from the 6.8 per cent of total losses in 2023.
A total of 51,501 scam cases were recorded in 2024, compared with 46,563 cases in the previous year. - The Straits Times/ANN
