Malaysian Man Jailed for Using SMS Blaster to Send Thousands of Phishing Messages in Singapore
2 sources · Singapore · 2 of them are linked to a state
Who reported this
- CNA
- The Straits Times
What the colours mean
- Left
- Centre-left
- Centre
- Centre-right
- Right
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Every source for this story reports from Singapore.
Ong Kak Seng, a 28 year old Malaysian man, was sentenced on September 14 to one year and nine months in jail and a S$1,500 fine for his role in a phishing scam. Ong pleaded guilty to a charge of cheating as part of a criminal conspiracy. He will serve an additional week in jail if he fails to pay the fine.
Between October 13 and November 18, 2025, Ong drove around densely populated areas of Singapore for 10 to 12 hours a day with an SMS blaster device hidden in the back of his car. The device mimicked a mobile network to transmit over 10,000 phishing messages to nearby phones. These messages directed users to a fraudulent webpage designed to steal WhatsApp login credentials. According to reports, more than 31,000 phones were affected, and one victim lost over S$1,800.
Ong became involved in the scheme after being approached by a man known as Bai Ge in October 2025. Ong, who owed approximately RM80,000 to unlicensed moneylenders, was offered RM1,000 a day to operate the device. He acknowledged the work was illegal because the pay was nearly ten times that of a legitimate driver in Malaysia. Ong learned to assemble the device at Bai Ge's home in Malaysia before traveling to Singapore to begin the operation.
During the period he operated the device, Ong discovered it was transmitting phishing messages. He reportedly warned his own sister in Singapore not to visit any webpages linked in WhatsApp or text messages she received. Ong was arrested on November 18, 2025, following an islandwide operation by the Singapore Police Force. Another individual, 27 year old Lie Dao Jing, is allegedly involved in similar activities, and that case is pending.
How each side framed it
- Centre
- The center lean outlet emphasized the personal irony of the defendant warning his own sister about the very scam he was facilitating.
- Centre-right
- The center-right lean outlet focused more on the technical operation of the device and the specific financial losses suffered by victims.
Sources
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