An international money laundering organization operating in Hong Kong Singapore Police Force (SPF)the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) and Interpol.
The syndicate was involved in laundering the proceeds of fraud, including tech support fraud in Singapore and other fraudulent activities in Hong Kong.
Between January and July 2024, the SPF received 185 reports of tech support scams, resulting in losses of more than S$17.9 million.
These scams involved pop-up alerts appearing on victims’ devices, falsely claiming that they had been infected with malware.
Scammers pose as technical support for companies like Microsoft or Apple, and manipulate victims into providing remote access to their devices to make fraudulent transactions from their bank accounts.
Following joint investigation and intelligence sharing between the SPF’s Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) and the HKPF, Hong Kong officers conducted the raids between 9 and 12 August 2024.
The operation led to the arrest of the syndicate’s ringleader, three members and three money mules, and the seizure of HK$300,000 in cash and more than 60 bank cards.
Further investigation led to the recovery of a further HK$1.3 million in proceeds of crime.
A 23-year-old Singaporean man has been arrested in connection with money laundering activities linked to the syndicate, which remains under investigation.
The SPF stresses the importance of international cooperation in fighting transnational crime and urges citizens to exercise caution when dealing with unsolicited requests for technical assistance.
Authorities advise anyone who believes they have fallen victim to such a scam to take immediate action, including turning off their devices and contacting their bank.
CAD Director David Chu said:
“An international tech support fraud syndicate has been targeting unsuspecting victims across many jurisdictions, including Singapore. The fake pop-up screens were a ploy to phish victims’ internet banking credentials, and by exploiting remote access software, the fraudsters were able to gain remote control of victims’ computers and conduct fraudulent banking transactions.”
“The criminal proceeds from this tech support scam were laundered through Hong Kong. Cross-border cooperation facilitated by INTERPOL was key to dismantling this foreign criminal organization and seizing the fruits of their labor.”
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