At least S$6.1 million lost to scammers impersonating ICA and Chinese officials

At least 72 people in Singapore have lost a total of at least S$6.1 million since January to scammers impersonating officials from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and China. According to the police, victims receive unsolicited calls from individuals posing as ICA officers who claim the victims' details were misused or linked to criminal activities, such as spreading false rumors. When victims deny involvement, the calls are transferred to a second scammer pretending to be a Chinese official who demands money for bail or investigation purposes.

Victims are instructed to transfer funds to bank accounts or withdraw cash for handover. The fraud is typically discovered when the callers become uncontactable or after the victims verify the claims with government agencies. Police warned that Singapore government officials will never ask the public to transfer money, luxury watches, gold, or cryptocurrency, nor will they request banking login details, loans from licensed moneylenders, or the installation of apps from unverified stores. They also stated that officials will not transfer calls to other government agencies or the police.

Authorities advised the public not to trust unsolicited communications and to verify identities through official sources. One report specifically noted that individuals can call the ScamShield helpline at 1799 for verification. Additional data indicates a rise in government official impersonation scams, with 3,363 reported cases resulting in S$242.9 million in losses in 2025, up from 1,504 cases in 2024 and 893 cases in 2023.