Fifth suspect arrested after woman loses S$5.4 million in impersonation scam

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SINGAPORE: A 21-year-old Malaysian suspect was arrested on Friday (Mar 29) for his involvement in a China officials impersonation scam that cheated a woman of about S$5.4 million. 
 

The police said in a statement that the suspect was nabbed in Kuala Lumpur with the help of the Royal Malaysia Police and was brought back to Singapore on Saturday. He will be charged in court on Monday with the offence of dishonestly receiving stolen property, the police added.

If found guilty, he faces an imprisonment term of up to five years, or a fine, or both.

He is the fifth suspect to be arrested in relation to the case. Four other Malaysians were arrested over the last year and have been charged in court for money laundering offences.

According to the police, two of the men, Looi Yu Chong and Cha Kok Haw, were sentenced to imprisonment terms of four years and 10 months, and two years and six months respectively.

In November 2017, the victim involved in the case was cheated of her money after being made to believe that she had to surrender her money to the authorities in order to assist in criminal investigations.

The police found through their investigations that the woman then delivered her money to different strangers at various locations in Singapore over a one-week period. 

The suspects left Singapore soon after receiving the money, the police added. 

The police advised members of the public to take precautions if they receive unsolicited calls for similar requests. 

No government agency in Singapore would demand payment over the phone or social messaging platforms, demand for payment to be given to unnamed persons, or request for personal banking information, police said.

"For foreign residents receiving calls from persons claiming to be police officers or government officials from your home country, please call your Embassy/High Commission to verify the claims of the caller," police added.