Two mobile phone shop employees arrested over scheme to compromise Singpass accounts

The operation, which took place between Aug 21 and Aug 25, led to the arrest of the two men, who are suspected of obtaining the Singpass login credentials of Singapore citizens and work permit holders.

Investigations revealed that both suspects were employees of a mobile phone shop in Singapore. 

“They allegedly exploited opportunities arising from their work to access customers’ Singpass accounts,” police said. 

In one instance, when a customer was purchasing a new SIM card, one of the men allegedly offered to help update the mobile number linked to the customer’s Singpass account. He then used the opportunity to create a LiquidPay account without the customer’s knowledge, police said. 

LiquidPay is a mobile payment and e-wallet app operated by the Singapore-based fintech company Liquid Group.

Further investigations identified another 171 Singapore citizens and foreign workers whose Singpass accounts were linked to the same activity. 

These fraudulently obtained Singpass accounts were used to register over 160 additional LiquidPay accounts without the account holders’ knowledge. All affected LiquidPay accounts have been frozen, according to the authorities.