A 40-year-old man, Tan Ming Chuan, has been charged in Singapore with assisting in the retention of benefits from criminal conduct, following his alleged involvement in a scam where a victim was deceived into handing over around $150,000 in cash and jewellery.
The incident involved a scammer posing as an official from the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
Incident Overview
Police allege that Tan acted as an intermediary, collecting valuables from a victim who believed they were complying with an official investigation. The items were left at a designated location and retrieved by Tan.
Tan was arrested by officers from the Anti-Scam Command on 12 July, one day after the case was reported. Police identified him during follow-up investigations. Preliminary findings indicate that Tan may have been involved in other similar scams where he was allegedly instructed to collect valuables and pass them to unknown parties.
Tan is currently held at the Central Police Division. His case is scheduled for mention in court on 21 July. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000.
Rising Cases of Impersonation Scams
Government official impersonation scams remain prevalent in Singapore. These cases typically involve unsolicited phone calls from individuals claiming to represent banks, financial institutions or government bodies such as the Monetary Authority of Singapore, Immigration and Checkpoints Authority or foreign law enforcement.
Victims are often falsely accused of involvement in criminal activities such as money laundering and instructed to withdraw money, purchase gold or declare valuables. In several cases, victims were told to leave these assets in designated locations for collection by a third party.
Police data shows that losses from these scams reached $151.3 million in 2024, an increase from $92.5 million in 2023. In June alone, at least 80 cases were reported, with losses totalling $6.7 million.
Relevance to the Jewellery Trade
The involvement of jewellery in scam-related offences raises concerns for the trade, particularly regarding resale and traceability. Jewellers dealing in second-hand items may encounter goods linked to fraud, especially where verification procedures are limited.
Understanding the methods used in these scams may help jewellers recognise unusual transaction patterns. Maintaining due diligence and working with law enforcement where needed remains critical in safeguarding the integrity of transactions involving high-value items.
Police Advisory
Following Tan’s arrest, the police issued a reminder to the public: “Never transfer monies, hand monies or other valuables to any unknown persons or persons whose identity you did not verify.”
Authorities continue to urge individuals to report suspicious activity promptly and to confirm the identity of anyone claiming to be from a government agency through official channels.
