Friends are hard to come by—but fake friends, not so much.
Recently, three Malaysian men were extradited to Singapore from Johor for their involvement in a series of “fake friend” scams targeting Singaporeans.
Maybe it’s time to change up the old saying: keep your enemies close, but your friends closer.
The Extradition
In a joint operation by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and the Royal Malaysian Police, three men were arrested in relation to a fake friend phone call scam ring.
On 20 March 2023, the transnational scam syndicate targeting Singaporeans was busted in a raid on a Johor apartment complex
Preliminary investigations revealed that the syndicate had started operating in early 2023. Since it’s “opening”, it has since been responsible for at least 40 cases of these scams, with earnings totalling around S$250,000.
The raid on the apartment was conducted by Singapore’s Commercial Affairs Department and the Johor Commercial Crime Investigation Department. The operation ended in the arrest and extradition of three men, aged 18 to 27.
The three men were extradited from Johor to Singapore on 28 March, and charged with conspiracy to cheat on 30 March. The charge carries a jail term of up to three years and a fine.
What Is This Scam?
In the “fake friend” scam variant, scammers would typically contact victims through phone calls, pretending to be their victim’s friend.
Often, these scammers would not identify themselves, and instead would ask the victim to guess their identity and then assume the identity of the friend that the victim picks. They would then inform victims that they had lost their old phone or changed their contact number, explaining why the number was unknown.
Here’s an example of messages from a scammer, provided by the SPF:
After that, scammers would ask for money (of course) by asking victims to transfer cash to a bank account in the guise of loaning money to a friend, claiming that they had encountered financial difficulties or other extenuating circumstances.
Usually, victims would only realise they’ve been scammed after contacting their real friend upon learning that the money has not been returned.
S$4.33 Million Lost To These Scams
According to figures released by the police, more than $4.33 million has been lost to this scam variant since January 2023, with around 1,300 victims cheated.
Commercial Affairs Department Director David Chew expressed that fake friend scam calls were on the rise, and this was a “serious concern”.
“We will continue to take tough action against individuals who perpetuate scams even if they are based overseas,” he said.
The press release by the police also featured some safety measures you can take to avoid falling victim to these scams.
They advise the public to download the ScamShield app, which blocks calls from known scammers based on the SPF’s database and community reports. Setting up two-factor authentication on all accounts and transaction limits for online transfers is also recommended.
It’s also important to verify everything—when receiving such requests, remember to check its legitimacy by asking family and friends through alternative means like video calls or physical meetups, using the number you usually contact them by.
And lastly, tell the authorities about scams you may have encountered, and block suspicious unknown numbers that claim to be your friend.
If you’ve been scammed, you can file a police report online or call the Police Hotline at 1800-255-000. As always, if you need urgent assistance, call ‘999’.
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