If someone calls about a TV delivery you never ordered, it could be the first step of the Harvey Norman scam. In October, a woman in Singapore was contacted about a delivery she hadn't ordered. Within days, she'd handed about S$23,500 in cash, foreign currency and jewellery to a stranger outside her home. By September, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) had counted at least 119 cases of this scam since January, with at least S$4.8 million lost.
The SPF set out the pattern in an advisory on 21 September.
The woman, 40, was contacted on 13 October and told her identity might have been misused, The Straits Times reported. The next day, a second person claiming to be from Harvey Norman gave her a WhatsApp number for a supposed MAS employee.
Two people there had her share her screen and log in to her bank accounts. She was told to give them her internet banking login details and one-time passwords, and to approve every transaction.
Then she was told to photograph her jewellery and cash and hand them over for more checks. She gave a man outside her home S$3,500 in cash and about S$20,000 in foreign currency and jewellery. She learnt it was a scam only when she went to MAS in person.
The police's Cyber Command arrested two Malaysian men, aged 25 and 26, on 19 October. They're to be charged on 21 October with abetment by conspiracy to help another person keep benefits from criminal conduct.
If they're convicted, they could face up to 10 years' jail, a fine of up to S$500,000, or both.
| What | Detail |
|---|---|
| Who | Two Malaysian men, aged 25 and 26 |
| Arrested | 19 October, by the police's Cyber Command |
| Found | 17 pieces of gold jewellery on one man, believed to be scam proceeds; S$55,000 in cash and 24 more pieces in a hotel raid |
| Charge, on 21 October | Abetment by conspiracy to help another person keep benefits from criminal conduct |
| If convicted | Up to 10 years' jail, a fine of up to S$500,000, or both |
Yes, for certain offences, since 30 December 2025, the Ministry of Home Affairs says. These rules are separate from the two men's charge.
Cheating under section 420 of the Penal Code, done mainly by remote communication, means mandatory caning of 6 to 24 strokes. So does being a member or recruiter of a scam syndicate.
Scam mules can get up to 12 strokes, if the court decides, for certain money-laundering, Singpass and SIM card offences. That's if they meant or knew that what they handed over, such as a SIM card, would be used for a scam. Or if it was used in a scam, and they had reasonable grounds to expect a crime but took no reasonable steps to stop it.
The SPF says Singapore government officials will never do these things.
After this case, police warned against handing cash, jewellery or other valuables to strangers. Don't share your device screen or give out your login details, and don't leave money or valuables out for collection.
The September advisory adds three steps, which it calls ACT.
ScamShield's 1799 helpline can connect scam victims to seven banks, but it can't make police reports. If you've been scammed, report it online on the police report page of SPF e-services, which ScamShield links to. For urgent police help, call 999.
If you have information on this kind of scam, call the police hotline on 1800-255-0000 or go to police.gov.sg/i-witness.
See our banking app login and security guide, or read how the hotel booking scam works and the fake investment guru scam on Facebook.
No. The SPF says Singapore government officials will never ask for your banking login details. They also won't ask you to hand over cash, gold or luxury watches, or pass your call to the police or another official.
The SPF counted at least 119 cases from January to its advisory on 21 September 2026, with at least S$4.8 million lost. In October, one woman lost about S$23,500 to it.
It's 1799, and it's open 24 hours a day. Call it to check whether something is a scam. It can't make a police report for you, but you can make one online on the police report page of SPF e-services. For urgent police help, call 999.
It depends on the offence. Since 30 December 2025, cheating under section 420 of the Penal Code, done mainly by remote communication, means mandatory caning of 6 to 24 strokes. So does being a member or recruiter of a scam syndicate. Scam mules can get up to 12 strokes for certain money-laundering, Singpass and SIM card offences, if the court decides. That's if they meant or knew it would help a scam. Or if it was used in a scam, and they had reasonable grounds to expect a crime but took no reasonable steps to stop it.
This is general financial information for Singapore, not personal financial advice. Figures change, so verify current rates against the official sources above before acting. See our full disclaimer.
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