Cheated affections, counterfeit declarations of devotion, and tragic loveless endings—such scenarios often come to mind when we think of love scams. Alas, the true tragedies of such scams are the forelorn and lovelorn lovers, left behind with empty hearts—and empty wallets.
One such scam, a Malaysia-based cross-border love scam syndicate, is suspected to have seized more than a million dollars from victims, some of whom are in Singapore.
Eight people have been arrested after raids were conducted on the syndicate.
Here’s all that you need to know.
8 People Arrested in Msia-Based, Cross-Border Love Scam Syndicate That Took An Estimated $1M From Victims
According to the Singapore Police Force (SPF) on Sunday (27 Jun), Malaysian police arrested six Nigerian men and a Malaysian woman in two raids in Kuala Lumpur.
Meanwhile, a 57-year-old woman was also arrested in Singapore. She is suspected to have been involved in the transfer of the syndicate’s illegal profits.
She will be charged on Tuesday (29 Jun) with money laundering. If convicted, she faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $500,000.
A 34-year-old man in Singapore is also being investigated by the police for similar crimes.
The syndicate was discovered after a woman in Singapore had lodged a police report saying that she was likely to have been the target of a love scam.
She said that she had been in an online relationship with a man for over a year.
He told her that he had sent her a package supposedly containing a handbag, shoes and other items.
She later received a phone call from a Malaysian “delivery company”, which asked for a $1,000 charge.
The woman proceeded to make the transfer, but was told by the delivery man that he did not receive the payment. She was then asked to make further payment in cash.
The delivery man was unable to furnish information on his company when asked.
The SPF, in collaboration with the Commercial Crime Investigation Department of the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP), found that the syndicate was based in Malaysia.
Raids in Kuala Lumpur were then carried out last Wednesday, leading to the arrests of the seven people aged 20 to 46.
The syndicate is suspected to be responsible for at least five other cases in Singapore that had led to losses of around $64,000 and eight cases in Malaysia involving RM3.7 million (S$1.2 million).
According to Mr David Chew, director of the SPF’s Commercial Affairs Department, “Notwithstanding the global lockdown in response to the pandemic, criminals continue to prey on the unwary. They have ramped up their abuse of the Internet to target victims across international boundaries.”
To find out more about scams, you can click here for the ScamAlert website or call the Anti-Scam Hotline on 1800-722-6688.
Feature Image: Pla2na / Shutterstock.com
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