SINGAPORE – Seventeen people will be charged next week for their alleged involvement in a string of scams that caused more than $1.6 million in losses, the police said on Nov 2.
The suspects – 14 men and three women, aged between 17 and 45 – were arrested for their suspected roles in various scams, including government official impersonation, job, e-commerce, investment, fake buyer, remittance and malware-enabled phishing.
Preliminary investigations found that the suspects allegedly relinquished or sold their bank accounts and Singpass credentials, enabling criminal syndicates to launder illicit proceeds.
Some are believed to have deceived banks into opening accounts before handing over their internet banking details to unknown individuals. One suspect is said to have assisted syndicates in withdrawing cash from multiple bank accounts via ATMs.
The suspects will be charged between Nov 3 and 7 with offences linked to scam-related money mule activities. These include abetment to cheating, assisting another to retain benefits from criminal conduct, abetting unauthorised access to computer material, and the unlawful disclosure of password or access code.
Those convicted of cheating or assisting another to retain benefits from criminal conduct face jail terms of up to three years, fines or both. Facilitating unauthorised access to computer material carries a maximum penalty of two years’ jail, a fine, or both for a first offence.
The unlawful disclosure of password or access code carries up to three years’ jail, a fine, or both.
