News Summary: S$1.9M Seized, 25 Arrested in Singapore Scam Blitz (March 2025)

News Summary: In March 2025, the police seized S$1.9 million and arrested 25 people in an anti-scam operation that targeted government impersonation, investment, and job scams. 

 

From mid-February to early March 2025, local banks and the Singapore Police Force (SPF) conducted an island-wide anti-scam operation. During this operation, they arrested 25 individuals and are investigating 65 others linked to scams like government official impersonation, investment fraud, and job scams. 

 

Around S$1.9 million was seized, and more than 300 bank accounts were frozen during the operation. The SPF also worked with social media and telecommunications companies to disrupt more than 1,300 online enablers and terminate over 1,700 phone lines linked to the scams. 

 

In 2024, scam losses hit a record high of S$1.1 billion. More than half of this amount was contributed by government official impersonation, investment and job scams. In these scams, fraudsters will communicate with victims through frauduently acquired phone lines and messaging platforms. Victims will then be deceived to transfer funds to bank or cryptocurrency wallets controlled by the scammers. 

 

Stay safe from scams with Scam.SG’s TrustScore. Verify companies' trustworthiness and report scams to help others stay safe. Read up on the different types of scams and scam prevention articles to understand how to stay safe from scams. 

 

Government Official Impersonation

 

Government impersonation scams in Singapore involve scammers posing as officials from governmental bodies such as the Singapore Police Force, the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) or the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), to name a few. Scammers usually use spoofed calls or SMSs to deceive victims. They often demand urgent payments or personal data, claiming unpaid fines or legal issues. 

 

Among the top 10 scams in the first half of 2024, government official impersonation scams had the highest average losses at S$116,534 per case. (Source: Mid-year Scams and Cybercrime Brief 2024)

 

These fraudsters exploit the trust in authority in Singapore, making these scams very dangerous.  Learn more about how to spot impersonation scams in Singapore and how to avoid impersonation scams with us!

Investment Scams 

 

Investment scams in Singapore are fraudulent schemes that promise high returns and low risks on investments. The scammers often source victims through fake calls, SMSs or websites impersonating legitimate firms. Some victims might even receive initial small ‘profits’ to entice bigger investments from them. 

 

It was reported that at least S$133.4 million was lost in the first half of 2024 to investment scams. (Source: Mid-year Scams and Cybercrime Brief 2024)

 

No legitimate investment company will ask investors to transfer money to personal bank accounts or use group chats to sell investment products. Learn more about investment scams in Singapore with us. Explore investment scam warning signs and learn how to avoid investment scams. 

Job Scams

 

Job scams in Singapore involve fake job offers that promise high pay for minimal work. Some job scams are commission-based and involve jobs that can be done at home. Scammers will contact victims through SMS, email or social media. They will trick victims into sharing personal information or paying fees. 

 

Job scams were recorded as the second-highest number of reported cases in the first half of 2024 out of all scam types. (Source: Mid-year Scams and Cybercrime Brief 2024)

 

It is most likely a scam if the job requires you to use your own money or share personal information for the job. Learn more about job scams in Singapore with Scam.SG. Explore job scam warning signs and how to avoid them.