Singapore and Cambodian police disrupt multimillion-dollar scam syndicate

A joint operation between Singapore and Cambodian police has dismantled a scam syndicate operating out of Phnom Penh, according to a statement by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) on 10 September 2025. The syndicate is believed to be responsible for over 330 reported cases of government official impersonation scams in Singapore, involving losses exceeding S$40 million. Twelve suspects were arrested in Singapore during coordinated raids. They comprised eight Singaporean men, one Singaporean woman, two Malaysian men, and one Filipino woman. Some of the suspects had recently returned from Cambodia, where they allegedly worked as scam callers. According to SPF, syndicate members travelled to Cambodia willingly, earning commissions for each successful scam. Raids were carried out at multiple locations in Singapore, including residential apartments and hotel rooms. In parallel, Cambodia’s Anti-Cyber Crime Department conducted operations in Phnom Penh, raiding a building and a warehouse. Officers recovered electronic devices, scam scripts, and records of victims, alongside equipment suspected to have been used in the scams. The joint operation also led to the seizure of over S$2.5 million from bank accounts and cryptocurrency wallets, together with 53 electronic devices. The SPF said that since December 2024, Singapore has seen a surge in government official impersonation scams. These typically involved three stages. Victims first received calls from individuals posing as bank employees. The calls were then transferred to scammers impersonating government officials, such as police officers or Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) staff. Finally, victims were told their bank accounts were under investigation for alleged criminal activity and were instructed to transfer funds for “verification.” The money was instead channelled to syndicate-controlled accounts. The 12 arrested suspects will be charged in court on 12 September for being members of a locally linked organised criminal group. If convicted, they face penalties of up to five years in prison, a fine of up to S$100,000, or both. The SPF noted that several other syndicate members remain at large, with Cambodian police continuing their pursuit. “The SPF is working closely with foreign law enforcement agencies to establish their whereabouts and to arrest them,” the police said.

Scam losses in Singapore hit S$456 million in first half of 2025 despite drop from 2024

According to figures released by SPF on 30 August, scams in Singapore caused losses of S$456.4 million between January and June 2025, with 19,964 cases reported. This represents a decline from the S$522.4 million lost during the same period in 2024. However, the number of cases involving losses above S$100,000 rose significantly. The police said nearly 1,000 people lost at least S$100,000 in the first half of 2025, up from around 700 during the same period in 2024. While smaller scams made up the majority—about 70 per cent of cases involved losses under S$5,000—the median loss remained substantial at approximately S$1,500 per case. Government official impersonation scams more than tripled, from 589 cases in the first half of 2024 to 1,762 in the same period in 2025. Losses from these scams reached S$126.5 million—an 88 per cent increase from the S$67.2 million recorded a year earlier.