Have you ever encountered random callers claiming to be your “friends” and asking you to guess who they are?
Nowadays, even seemingly innocent calls like that can be scams.
On 24 January, five men allegedly linked to a syndicate behind “fake friend scams” were charged with cheating.
Charged with Cheating
The five Malaysian men, whose ages range from 19 to 36, were each handed a cheating charge.
Their scams have caused over $1,400,000 in losses, which is a hefty sum.
The men are: Kek Yuan Chun, 19; Chua Zi Huang, 23; Heng Guo Hao, 25; Loh Chuan Sheng, 35; and Yee Kong Yao, 36.
On 23 January, the police noted that more than 6,300 victims fell prey to fake friend call scams from January to November 2023.
The scams have resulted in losses totalling at least $21,100,000.
As for the syndicate in question, SPF said, “Preliminary investigations revealed that the syndicate started their scam operations in June 2023.
“The syndicate is believed to be involved in more than 500 reports, with more than $1,400,000 total losses.”
SPF Collaborated with RMP to Investigate Friend Scam Syndicate
The Singapore Police Force (SPF) and the neighbouring Royal Malaysian Police (RMP) collaborated to share information on such cases.
Specifically, SPF’s Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) and RMP’s Johor Commercial Crime Investigation Department collaborated to take down the syndicate.
The transnational syndicate was said to be involved in “fake friend scam” calls that targeted Singaporeans.
The investigations culmulated in an apartment raid on 16 January.
Malaysian authorities raided two apartments in Johor and arrested the five men.
TODAY reported that the men, who appeared in court via video link from their place of remand, were handcuffed and looked sullen.
The charge sheets noted that the alleged offences occurred “in Singapore and elsewhere” in January 2024.
According to the prosecution, the men are believed to be “involved in a syndicated offence”.
The prosecution asked for the men to be remanded with permission to take them out for investigations.
The men were brought to Singapore on 23 January.
They will return to court on 31 January.
In a statement regarding the case, Director CAD, Mr David Chew, said, “I would like to thank Johor Police Chief, Commissioner Datuk Jamarul Zaman Mamat and his officers from the Johor Commercial Crime Investigations Department for their strong support and commitment in tackling transnational crime syndicates.
“We will continue to take tough action against individuals who perpetuate e-scams even if they are based overseas.”
If convicted of cheating, an offender can be jailed for up to ten years and fined.
Similar Cases
“Fake friend scams” have existed for quite some time now and are only increasing in prevalence.
In March 2023, it was reported that at least 945 people had been tricked by “fake friend scams”, resulting in losses amounting to at least $3,200,000.
The number of victims has increased since then.
In February 2023, 12 people were arrested in Johor after a joint investigation by Singapore and Malaysia’s police.
The 12 people, aged between 16 and 27, were believed to be involved in a “fake friend scam” syndicate that targeted Singaporeans.
Of the 12 people, one was female, and the remaining 11 were male Malaysians.
According to SPF, the raids were simultaneously conducted at three apartment complexes in Johor.
The syndicate was believed to be involved in more than 360 reported cases, amounting to losses of more than $1,300,000.
How “Fake Friend Scams” Work
According to an SPF advisory, “fake friend scams” usually involve scammers contacting their targets through calls or text messages.
They will pretend to be someone the victim knows, asking for financial assistance before running off with their money.
The five men allegedly deceived victims into believing that they were communicating with people they knew over the phone.
The men would then induce them into making PayNow bank transfers to third parties.
More often than not, such scams involve messages and calls from unknown phone numbers.
Victims would then be asked to guess the identity of the unknown number.
The victims usually mention the name of a friend they believe is calling or sending the text message.
The scammer would then assume the person’s identity, claiming he has a new contact number.
The victim would then be asked to update the “friend’s” contact details.
A few days later, the scammer would reach out to the victim again and ask for a loan, claiming that he could not perform a bank transaction or was experiencing financial difficulties.
Victims would then transfer money to the scammer.
After all, who wouldn’t help a friend in need?
Victims would only realise the scam when contacting the actual friend they thought they were talking to or when their money was not returned as promised.
Police’s Advice
The police advised the public to enable security features such as two-factor authentication (2FA) for their bank accounts, social media and Singpass.
The police cautioned the public to beware of unusual requests from people who claim to be someone they know via text messages or phone or WhatsApp calls.
People should verify the requests through alternative means such as physical meet-ups, video calls or email.
To further hinder such scams, the police advise the public to adopt ACT:
- Add the ScamShield App and set security features like 2FA or transaction limits.
- Check for scam signs with official sources like www.scamalert.sg or call the anti-scam hotline at 1800-722-6688.
- Tell the authorities, family and friends about scams.
The SPF added, “If you have any information relating to such crimes or if you are in doubt, please call the police hotline at 1800-255-000 or submit a report online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness.”