In a significant development in the fight against transnational scams, five Malaysian men pleaded guilty to cheating charges on 19 March 2025, admitting their involvement in a “fake friend” call scam syndicate that targeted Singaporeans.
The syndicate’s operations caused at least 70 victims to lose more than $164,000 through deceptive tactics where scammers contacted victims while pretending to be someone they knew.
The Scam Operation
The five men were identified as Kek Yuan Chun, 20; Chua Zi Huang, 24; Heng Guo Hao, 26; Loh Chuan Sheng, 36 and Yee Kong Yao, 37.
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All five men had moved into condominium units at the Marina Residence JB in Johor Baru and operated from a scam centre at the property.
They were extradited to Singapore on 23 January 2024 following a raid on two apartments in Johor Bahru by Malaysian police on 16 January 2024.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the syndicate began its operations in June 2023. The group deceived victims into believing they were communicating with people they knew over the phone and induced them into making PayNow bank transfers to third parties.
The men were each charged with being part of a criminal conspiracy to cheat people residing in Singapore, with the alleged offences taking place “in Singapore and elsewhere” in January 2024.
Widespread Impact
The “fake friend” call scam has had a devastating impact in Singapore. From January to November 2023, more than 6,300 victims fell prey to such scams, with total losses amounting to at least S$21.1 million.
The syndicate linked to these five men is believed to be responsible for more than 500 police reports, with losses exceeding S$1.4 million.
Cross-Border Collaboration
The arrest came as a result of close collaboration between the Singapore Police Force’s Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) and the Johor Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) of the Royal Malaysia Police.
“The Singapore Police Force has been working closely with the Royal Malaysia Police to detect and cripple these transnational scam syndicates who prey on our citizens,” said David Chew, director of SPF’s Commercial Affairs Department.
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This case represents part of a broader effort to combat transnational scams.
In a more recent operation conducted between 10 February and 9 March 2025, Singapore’s Anti-Scam Command and Malaysia’s National Scam Response Centre investigated more than 850 subjects for their suspected involvement in various scams, including friend impersonation scams.
Legal Consequences
If convicted of conspiracy to cheat, the five men can be jailed for up to 10 years and fined.
The prosecution had previously stated that the men were “involved in a syndicated offence” and requested that they be remanded with permission to take them out for investigations.
How the Scam Works
The “fake friend” scam typically involves scammers contacting victims through text messages or phone calls, pretending to be someone they know, and then asking for financial help.
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According to The Straits Times, the victims they targeted included vulnerable victims aged between 68 and 76 years old.
Victims are deceived into believing they are communicating with acquaintances and are convinced to make bank transfers to third parties.
Prevention Measures
The Singapore Police Force has advised the public to take precautionary measures against such scams, including installing the ScamShield mobile app, setting up transaction limits for internet banking, and enabling two-factor authentication.
Authorities also recommend verifying requests with family members and friends through alternative means like physical meet-ups and video calls rather than relying solely on the new contact details provided by potential scammers.
Here's a summary of the Chocolate Finance saga, simplified so even a non-finance kid can understand:
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