Singapore's Cross-Border Law Enforcement Operation Dismantles Phnom Penh Scam Syndicate — 12 Arrested, Including 2 Malaysians

The Singapore Police Force, in cooperation with the Cambodian National Police, has dismantled a scam syndicate based in Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh, which specialized in impersonating government officials to defraud Singaporean citizens. A total of 12 individuals suspected of participating in the criminal organization—including nine Singaporeans (eight men and one woman), two Malaysian men, and one Filipino woman—have been arrested.

According to a statement issued by the Singapore police on the 10th, multiple cases of impersonation scams have been reported locally since December last year, with victims losing large sums of money. The scammers typically used a three-step scheme: first, they would impersonate bank employees and call the victim, then transfer the call to an accomplice pretending to be a government official (such as a police officer or a Monetary Authority of Singapore official), and finally, this so-called “official” would falsely claim that the victim’s bank account was involved in a criminal investigation, instructing the victim to transfer funds to an account controlled by the syndicate “to assist with the investigation.”

The syndicate is believed to be involved in at least 330 cases, with amounts exceeding 40 million Singapore dollars (approximately 131.53 million Malaysian Ringgit). Preliminary investigations indicate that members voluntarily traveled to Cambodia to engage in illegal activities and could earn commissions from each successful scam.

On the 9th, the Criminal Investigation Department and Police Intelligence Department of the Singapore Police Force conducted raids at multiple locations within Singapore, arresting the aforementioned suspects. Some are believed to have assisted the syndicate by making scam calls to victims and had just returned from Cambodia. At the same time, Cambodian police also conducted raids on a building and warehouse in Phnom Penh, seizing a quantity of electronic equipment.

In the joint law enforcement operation, the two countries’ police forces seized a large amount of evidence, including over SGD 2.5 million in cash from bank accounts and cryptocurrency wallets, as well as 53 electronic devices, scam scripts, and victim information.

According to the police, some members of the criminal syndicate are still at large, and Cambodian enforcement actions are ongoing.

The 12 arrested individuals were charged in court on the 11th. If convicted of participating in a locally linked organized criminal group, they could face up to SGD 100,000 in fines, up to five years in prison, or both.