SPF: Scammers using ‘3XXXXXXX’ numbers to impersonate MinLaw, MAS and SPF — 12 victims, S$274,000 lost since May

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Police Force has issued an alert about a surge in government official impersonation scams involving an unusual new tactic: scammers are calling victims from eight-digit numbers beginning with the digit “3”, which is a format that does not correspond to standard Singapore mobile or landline numbers and should itself serve as an immediate red flag.

Since May 2026, at least 12 cases have been reported, with total losses amounting to approximately S$274,000.

How the scam unfolds

The scam follows a now-familiar two-stage structure, but with the “3XXXXXXX” number as the initial point of contact.

Victims first receive an unsolicited call from someone claiming to represent a bank, financial institution, or telecommunications company. The caller claims that suspicious transactions have been detected on the victim’s credit card, that an insurance policy under their name is being misused, or that their identity has been used to sign up for a new phone contract.

The call is then transferred to a second scammer impersonating a government official, typically from the Ministry of Law (MinLaw), the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), or the Singapore Police Force (SPF), who accuses the victim of involvement in criminal activities such as money laundering.

To facilitate the supposed “investigation”, victims are instructed to transfer money or make cash deposits via ATM into a “safe account”. In some cases, scammers have also directed victims to withdraw cash or declare valuables, then meet unknown individuals to hand them over under the guise of assisting the investigation. Victims typically only discover they have been scammed when the callers become uncontactable or when they check directly with the relevant agencies.

What government agencies will never do

The Police reiterated that Singapore Government officials, including those from MinLaw, MAS, and SPF, will never ask the public to transfer or hand over money, luxury watches, gold, or cryptocurrency; obtain loans from licensed moneylenders; disclose banking login details; install apps from unofficial app stores; or transfer a call to the Police or any other government official.

Members of the public are also reminded never to share bank card PINs, never transfer money or valuables to unverified persons, and never leave cash or valuables at a physical location for collection.

A new red flag to know

The use of eight-digit numbers beginning with “3” may be a distinctive feature of this scam variant worth remembering. Standard Singapore phone numbers beginning with “3” are not commonly assigned to individual callers, and receiving an unsolicited call from such a number should prompt immediate suspicion, especially if the caller claims to be from a government agency or financial institution.

The Police advise the public to add the ScamShield app and enable security features including Two-Factor Authentication, Multifactor Authentication for banking apps, and transaction limits for internet banking. Check the legitimacy of suspicious calls, numbers, and messages via the ScamShield app or at www.scamshield.gov.sg before taking any action. Tell family, friends, and the authorities about scams, and report any fraudulent transactions to your bank immediately.

If in doubt, call the 24/7 ScamShield Helpline at 1799. Members of the public can also visit www.scamshield.gov.sg for more information on scams.

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