24yo Malaysian charged for overseeing Cambodia scam centre targeting Singapore victims

SINGAPORE: A 24-year-old Malaysian was charged in court on 18 November 2025 for allegedly overseeing operations at a Cambodia-based scam call centre that targeted victims in Singapore.

According to a police statement, the call centre was part of a wider syndicate accused of large-scale impersonation scams.

Bernard Goh Yie Shen was handed one charge under the Organised Crime Act for engaging in conduct he allegedly knew would facilitate cheating in Singapore.

Court documents state that his actions in Phnom Penh supported the illegal activities of a locally linked organised criminal group.

Goh was deported from Cambodia before being arrested in Malaysia and subsequently handed over to the Singapore Police Force.

Authorities believe he is a member of the syndicate that orchestrated scams involving impersonations of government officials.

The police said the group is suspected to be behind at least 438 such cases, which caused losses of at least S$41 million.

These operations were reportedly conducted from a scam compound in Phnom Penh that was disrupted during a joint action by the Singapore Police Force and the Cambodian National Police in September this year.

Goh’s charging follows similar cases involving two Singaporeans who were charged on 17 November for allegedly operating as scam callers within the same syndicate.

Both men, Wayne Soh You Chen and Brian Sie Eng Fa, were returned from Cambodia and Thailand respectively before being charged.

Earlier, on 13 November, two 44-year-old men were charged in relation to linked operations.

One man, apprehended in Bangkok, allegedly handled administrative functions at a Myanmar scam centre and surrendered control of his Singapore bank account to facilitate illegal transfers.

The second man was arrested in Krong Bavet, Cambodia.

Investigations found that he worked as a translator for a telecommunications fraud syndicate and had received scam proceeds into his local accounts.

The man involved in the Myanmar centre faces a charge of abetment to commit unauthorised access to computer material.

The individual linked to the Cambodian operation has been charged with abetment by conspiracy to cheat and possession of suspected criminal proceeds.

The police noted that the syndicate’s activities were significantly disrupted on 9 September, following a coordinated enforcement effort by the Singapore Police Force and Cambodian National Police.

Authorities seized assets and issued prohibition of disposal orders as part of the continuing probe.

According to the police, 31 suspects linked to the syndicate remain at large, including alleged ringleader Ng Wei Liang.

The Singapore Police Force has urged anyone with relevant information to call 1800 255 0000 or submit details via its online portal.

These arrests come amid a steep rise in impersonation scams affecting Singapore.

According to police data, reported cases involving fake officials surged by 199.2 per cent in the first half of 2025, reaching 1,762 cases compared with 589 in the same period in 2024.

Financial losses also rose sharply, climbing to S$126.5 million in the first half of 2025 from S$67.2 million a year earlier. The police emphasised that cross-border collaboration remains vital in combatting these organised criminal networks.