According to Singapore police, the scammers posed as officials from the city state’s central bank and told victims that their bank accounts had been linked to money laundering activities.
PETALING JAYA: A Malaysian woman has been arrested in Singapore for allegedly facilitating the operations of a scam syndicate by collecting cash and gold bars from victims across the city state.
In a statement, Singapore police said the woman, 73, is believed to have been a mule in the scam operation where the scammers posed as government officials, Straits Times reported.
It added that she was allegedly involved in three such cases at least.
According to police, following her arrest on Nov 24, she was found to possess about S$200 (RM637) in cash and and gold bars worth about S$200,000.
The statement said several reports were filed between Oct 8 and Nov 24 about the scam involving the impersonation of officials from the central bank, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).
“On Nov 24, an employee at gold and silver dealer BullionStar along New Bridge Road alerted police to a woman loitering suspiciously outside the retail premises.
“Officers from the central police division arrested the woman on the same day,” the statement said.
Police said victims were told that their bank accounts had been linked to money laundering activities or that their personal information had been compromised.
The victims were instructed to surrender their money and valuables for investigations. They met unknown individuals at various places across Singapore to hand over cash and gold bars.
When they did not receive refunds promised to them or when the scammers became uncontactable, the victims realised that they had been scammed.
Police said investigations into the woman’s actions are ongoing.
