NSF Cheated Govt of $2,500 COVID-19 Grants By Using His Friends’ & Father’s SingPass Accounts

By
Ashley Seek
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2020 has been one rollercoaster of a year thanks to COVID-19.

By now, there is no shortage of stories where people have suffered financially due to the pandemic.

However, you can apply for various support schemes if you meet the conditions.

For more information about the grants, you might want to watch this video to the end (and please subscribe to our YouTube channel for more informative videos!):

Just don’t think about cheating the system. Especially since you can be tracked down.

NSF Cheated Govt of $2,500 COVID-19 Grants By Using His Friends’ & Father’s SingPass Accounts

One 20-year-old Yee Jia Hai, a full-time national serviceman (NSF), tried to get away with it.

In his grant application, he stated that he had lost 30 per cent of his income from COVID-19.

But it turns out the guy wasn’t even employed before NS.

Yee also managed to get his father’s and friend’s SingPass details and also applied for them, claiming they had also lost income.

Yee received around S$2,500 from his cheating and then used that money to gamble.

On 8 Dec, the NSF pleaded guilty to four counts of cheating.

However, he has another five charges that will be taken into consideration for sentencing next week.

Cheating The TRF System

As mentioned above, Yee sent in multiple applications for a COVID-19 relief scheme.

More specifically, the Temporary Relief Fund – a one-time temporary fund.

The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) has listed the following conditions to apply for the fund.

  • Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents aged 16 years and above.
  • Was retrenched or suffered substantial (at least 30%) loss of personal income due to COVID-19 (after 23 Jan 2020)
  • Had a gross monthly household income of ≤$10,000, or a gross monthly per capita income of ≤$3,100 prior to the loss of job or income
  • Not a current beneficiary of ComCare assistance such as Long-Term Assistance, Short-to-Medium-Term Assistance and Interim Assistance

And as we already know, the NSF didn’t meet any of it.

Yee sent in a total of eight fraudulent claims in April, with five of them being successful. Each one that worked granted him S$500.

Using His Father and Friend

As if it wasn’t enough, he tried to use his own dad and friend to get more cash.

Yee convinced his father to share his SingPass details for a “government grant” and did not tell him anything else.

His father who, by the way, didn’t have his salary affected by the pandemic.

The NSF provided his PayNow details so that the money would go to him instead.

Yee then approached one friend under the guise that he would help apply for a SkillsFuture course, and took his SingPass details as well.

After assuring his friend he wouldn’t do anything illegal with said details, he repeated the earlier method of providing his PayNow.

While this was going on, Yee knew of another friend who was also trying to submit fraud applications.

He tried to help this friend submit an application but once again using his PayNow details.

This time, though, MSF rejected it.

Deciding On The Consequence

Currently, Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Jeremy Bin told the court that the prosecution will reserve its position on sentence.

Yee could be could either be placed under probation or reformative training.

What’s the difference?

The former sees the offender supervised by a probation officer for a period between 6 months and 3 years.

He would then need to adhere to guidelines, perform community service and attend counselling amongst other programmes as well.

Reformative training is harsher, with the offender being ‘detained in a structured environment’ for at least 18 months.

Of course, you can’t re-offend during that period. Failing to follow the rules might also get you jailed.

So generally, rehabilitation will still be the main form of sentencing consideration since Yee was under 21 when committing the crimes.

However, the prosecutor noted that he also tried to exploit the pandemic to get money illegally.

DPP Bin said that the relief was not “free money” and hopes others would not try to abuse the system. Those who do so would be greatly punished.

Offenders convicted of cheating can be jailed for up to 10 years and fined.

Yee also hasn’t made any compensation yet.

Featured Image: kandl stock / Shutterstock.com

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Ashley Seek
[email protected]