Police bust love scam syndicate responsible for $5.8m losses
A transnational Internet love scam syndicate, believed to have fleeced victims of $5.8 million, was busted in a joint operation by Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Macau.
The Malaysia-based syndicate is believed to have been responsible for at least 139 cases of Internet love scams reported in the four jurisdictions.
Since January, officers from their respective police forces have collaborated by sharing intelligence after Internet love scams were reported in Singapore, Hong Kong and Macau.
Three Nigerian men, 11 Malaysian women and four Malaysian men were arrested during simultaneous raids by the Royal Malaysian Police in various locations between Nov 19 and 21.
30 CASES IN SINGAPORE
The Singapore Police Force's Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) also conducted investigations into four Singaporean women, aged between 28 and 37, for facilitating the transfer of criminal proceeds to the syndicate.
From the investigations, a total of 30 cases reported in Singapore involving losses of more than $262,000 were solved.
CAD director David Chew said in a media release yesterday: "The success of this joint operation demonstrates the common resolve of the Singapore Police Force and its regional partners to fight transnational fraud, and sends a strong signal to cross-border scam syndicates that we will dismantle their networks and arrest their members, wherever they may be hiding."
The police advised the public to remain alert when communicating with strangers online or sending money to bank accounts of strangers or those who claimed to be government officials.
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