The Joint Police Of Singapore And Malaysia Expose Dating-Modded Scams Via The Internet

Illustration of an arrest. (Wikimedia Commons/Oregon Department of Transportation)

JAKARTA - Singaporean and Malaysian police have succeeded in dismantling a transnational internet fraud syndicate with a dating mode based in Malaysia, the Singapore Police (SPF) said on Sunday, June 27.

The discovery of this syndicate was the result of a joint operation between the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) of the SPF and the Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) of the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP).

In a press release, the SPF said a woman who was a victim had filed a police report in early February, in which she claimed to be the victim of an Internet love scam, citing CNA Monday, June 28.

The syndicate is believed to be responsible for at least five other cases in Singapore involving a loss of S$64,000 and eight other cases in Malaysia involving a loss of 3.7 million Malaysian ringgit.

The SPF said the victim revealed her online boyfriend, who she had been with for a year, supposedly sent her a parcel containing handbags, shoes and other accessories.

He then received a phone call from a Malaysian shipping company allegedly asking for S$1,000 to be transferred to a bank account as shipping charges.

After making the transfer, the sender allegedly admitted that he had not received the money and asked for further payment in cash. However, when the victim asked for the address and information about the company, no answer was obtained

Suspicious of being a victim of a fraud syndicate, instead of paying the shipping costs, the victim chooses to report to the police.

"Based on the report, the Singapore Police Anti-Scam Center conducted an extensive and reasonable investigative investigation," the SPF said.

Through close cooperation and joint investigations with CCID/RMP, a syndicate believed to be behind the cases was identified based in Malaysia.

On June 23, officers from CCID/RMP conducted simultaneous raids at two locations in Kuala Lumpur. Six Nigerian men and a Malaysian woman, aged between 20 and 46, were arrested on suspicion of involvement in Internet love scams and parcel fraud.

Eight laptops, 17 cell phones, three thumb drives, two ATM cards, two modems, two Wi-Fi routers and two passports were seized as evidence.

In Singapore, a 57-year-old woman was arrested while a 34-year-old man was investigated for allegedly assisting the transfer of the syndicate's proceeds. The 57-year-old woman will be charged on June 29 for money laundering. An investigation into the man is ongoing, police said.

CAD Singapore Director David Chew thanks CCID director Commissioner Mohd Kamarudin Md Din and his officers from the CCID Intelligence and Operations Division for their strong support and commitment in tackling cross-border fraud.

"To keep Singapore safe, the Singapore Police are working closely with like-minded international partners like the Royal Malaysian Police to prevent criminals from taking shelter safely. Law enforcement will find them and bring them to justice, wherever they are hiding," said Chew.

Reflecting on this case and previous similar cases, the SPF advises the public to be careful when making friends with strangers online, especially when there is a request to send money to an unknown bank account.