SINGAPORE – A 13-year-old was among 316 men and 141 women hauled in by the police as suspected scammers and money mules linked to more than 1,500 cases of scams that saw victims lose over $11.5 million.
The oldest among the 457 being investigated is a 73-year-old.
The suspects are being investigated for their roles in Internet love scams, e-commerce scams, phishing scams, China officials impersonation scams, investment scams, job scams, tech support scams and loan scams.
“The suspects are being investigated for the alleged offences of cheating, money laundering or providing payment services without a licence,” said the police.
It added that officers from the Commercial Affairs Department and across all seven police land divisions had conducted the two-week long operation between March 11 and March 28.
If found guilty of cheating, a person can receive a jail term of up to 10 years or a fine.
Those found guilty of money laundering can be sentenced up to 10 years’ jail, be fined up to $500,000, or both.
For providing unlicensed payment services, a person can be jailed up to three years, receive a fine of up to $125,000, or both.
The police said they take a serious stance against any person who may be involved in scams, adding that perpetrators will be dealt with in accordance with the law.
“To avoid being an accomplice to crimes, members of the public should always reject requests by others to use your bank account or mobile lines as you will be held accountable if…
