Police warn of surge in government official impersonation scams involving gold and cash

At least 80 cases of government official impersonation scams have been reported in Singapore since June 2025, resulting in losses exceeding S$6.7 million (US$4.9 million), according to a statement by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) issued on 2 July.

In these scams, victims were contacted by callers posing as representatives of banks such as DBS, other financial institutions, or government agencies. They were falsely informed that they had carried out unauthorised transactions or that their personal details—such as mobile numbers—were linked to fraud.

Scammers posing as multiple agencies

In some cases, victims were told they owed unpaid insurance premiums. When they denied involvement, the fraudsters transferred them to another impostor claiming to be from agencies such as the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), the Ministry of Law, the Singapore Police Force, or even foreign authorities such as the China Police.

The scammers accused the victims of money laundering or other serious crimes, coercing them to withdraw cash, purchase gold bars, or declare luxury items such as jewellery and watches.

Victims were instructed to surrender these valuables to strangers or leave them at designated locations for alleged “investigation purposes.” Many only realised they had been deceived when the scammers became unreachable or after confirming with the authorities.

Police emphasise no legitimate officer will collect cash or valuables

The SPF warned that no Singapore government officer will ever request money, valuables, or banking credentials over the phone.

Officials will also never ask the public to install unauthorised applications, transfer calls to other “departments,” or hand over possessions for inspection.

The public has been urged to avoid interacting with unknown callers claiming to represent government agencies and to verify such claims through official helplines.

Preventive measures advised

To reduce risk, police recommended installing the ScamShield app, which blocks scam calls and filters fraudulent messages.

Members of the public are also advised to set lower transaction limits and enable notifications for digital banking activities. Some banks now offer a money lock feature that prevents unauthorised transfers of protected funds.

Suspicious activity should be reported immediately through official channels, including the ScamShield helpline at 1799, and victims should contact their banks promptly to block fraudulent transactions and lodge a police report.

Rising trend in impersonation scams

According to the SPF’s Annual Scams and Cybercrime Brief 2024, 1,504 cases of government official impersonation scams were reported last year, with total losses reaching S$151.3 million (US$110.6 million).

The report found that victims aged 50 to 64 made up the largest share, accounting for nearly 29 per cent of cases. Most were initially contacted through phone calls or WhatsApp messages.

The police have urged continued public vigilance, emphasising that such scams remain a persistent threat as criminals adopt more convincing and elaborate methods to target victims.

For more information, members of the public can visit www.scamshield.gov.sg.