SINGAPORE: A 24-year-old Malaysian man has been arrested and will be charged in court after he entered Singapore on an assignment arranged by a transnational scam syndicate. He was allegedly tasked with withdrawing cash from ATM cards linked to scam proceeds.
According to the Police, the man was flagged on June 23, 2026, after receiving information that he had entered Singapore specifically to withdraw funds from bank accounts relinquished by money mules. Officers from the Anti-Scam Command and the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority acted swiftly, arresting him upon his entry into Singapore the same day.
What was found
During investigations, 28 bank ATM cards believed to have been used to launder criminal proceeds, along with two mobile phones, were recovered and seized. Of the 28 cards, more than S$71,000 in losses were traced to eight reported scam cases.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the man had been tasked by unknown persons, believed to be part of a transnational scam syndicate, to withdraw cash using the ATM cards provided to him and hand the cash over to them upon withdrawal.
The man was charged in court on June 25, 2026, with Unauthorised Access to Computer Material under Section 3 of the Computer Misuse Act 1993. This offence carries imprisonment of up to two years, a fine of up to S$5,000, or both.
A growing trend at Singapore’s borders
The Police noted an increasing trend of Malaysian nationals travelling into Singapore specifically to assist scam syndicates, whether by collecting cash and valuables from scam victims or making ATM withdrawals using relinquished bank cards. The cross-border nature of these operations, with syndicates recruiting and deploying runners from Malaysia, shows that crimes targeting are becoming increasingly organised and transnational in structure.
In response to this trend, Singapore introduced mandatory caning for scammers and members or recruiters of scam syndicates, which took effect on December 30, 2025. Those caught may receive at least six strokes, up to a maximum of 24. Scam mules who enable scammers by laundering proceeds face discretionary caning of up to 12 strokes, including for certain money-laundering offences under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act.
The Police reiterated their serious stance against anyone involved in scam-related activities, warning that perpetrators will be dealt with firmly in accordance with the law.
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