Sixteen men and eight women aged between 16 and 51 were arrested and will be charged. - Photo: ST file
SINGAPORE: Sixteen men and eight women have been arrested for their suspected involvement in various scams amounting to more than S$3.1 million in losses.
The individuals, aged between 16 and 51, will be charged from Feb 2 to 6 with offences connected to scam-related money mule activities.
The offences include:
- Abetting cheating
- Acquiring another person’s benefit from criminal proceeds
- Assisting another to retain benefits from criminal conduct
- Abetting unauthorised access to computer material
- Unlawfully disclosing passwords or access codes
- Knowingly providing fraudulently registered post-paid SIM cards for monetary gains
In a statement on Feb 1, the police said the 24 individuals had allegedly facilitated scam activities by relinquishing or selling their bank accounts, assisted in receiving or transferring funds or collecting cash from scam victims and enabled criminal syndicates to commit money laundering.
Some of them allegedly cheated banks into opening bank accounts before handing over their internet banking credentials to unknown people.
One individual purportedly disclosed his Singpass credentials unlawfully, enabling criminal syndicates to misuse his identity in the opening of a bank account.
Another person allegedly registered SIM cards for criminal syndicates in exchange for money.
If convicted, the individuals face penalties ranging from fines to imprisonment.
Scammers and members or recruiters of scam syndicates will also face mandatory caning of at least six strokes, while scam mules who enable scammers by laundering scam proceeds will face discretionary caning of up to 12 strokes.
Under the facility restriction framework, individuals involved in mule-related offences may face restrictions on banking services and mobile line subscriptions to prevent further facilitation of scams. - The Straits Times/ANN
