SINGAPORE, June 6 — More than 200 individuals are under investigation in Singapore after a major police operation targeting scams that cost victims over S$5.84 million (RM19.2 million).
The two-week enforcement effort, which ran from May 23 to June 5, involved a coordinated islandwide sweep and netted 232 suspects — 149 men and 83 women — aged between 17 and 77.
According to a police statement issued today, they are believed to be involved in over 980 scam cases.
The scams span a wide range, including bogus job offers, e-commerce fraud, impersonation of friends or officials, fake investments and rental scams.
The suspects are alleged to have acted either as scammers or money mules.
Authorities are investigating the individuals for offences including cheating, money laundering, and operating unlicensed payment services.
Depending on the charge, they face potential jail terms ranging from three to 10 years, and fines that could go as high as S$500,000.
The crackdown comes amid a surge in scam activity across Singapore.
In 2024 alone, more than S$1.1 billion was lost to scams — a record high and the first time losses have crossed the billion-dollar mark.
A total of 51,501 scam cases were reported that year, continuing an upward trend that has persisted since 2019.