Singapore police warned of a rise in impersonation scams that caused at least $5.4 million in losses since April 2026. [1] The scams involve unsolicited calls from individuals pretending to be representatives of banks or telecommunications companies. These callers allege unauthorized transactions or other issues. [1]
Victims are then transferred to a second scammer posing as a government official from the police, Monetary Authority of Singapore, or Ministry of Law. The impostors accuse victims of criminal involvement and instruct them to make ATM cash transfers or deposit money into so-called "safe accounts." In some cases, victims are pressured into handing over bank cards and PINs. [1]
The police issued a statement on May 4 reporting 68 cases of this scam in the previous month. [1] Authorities stressed that legitimate Singapore government officials will never request money transfers over the phone, ask for banking login details, transfer calls to the police, or direct people to install apps from unofficial sources. [1]
Law enforcement urged the public to be cautious of unsolicited calls and to verify any doubt with official sources. The police continue to investigate these cases and monitor for similar scam tactics.
