In Singapore, there's been a rise in scams where people pretend to be immigration officers. Since January 2026, at least 117 cases have been reported, with losses hitting at least 8.4 million SGD. Scammers start by calling and claiming to be from the immigration department, saying your personal info has been stolen or your phone number is linked to fraud. Then, they transfer the call to someone posing as a "Chinese official."
These fake officials come up with all sorts of stories, like needing money for an "investigation" or "bail," and ask you to transfer funds or hand over cash. Some victims are even asked to sign fake confidentiality agreements to make the scam seem more real. Back on August 14, there were 72 cases with losses of 6.1 million SGD. Just over a month later, there are 45 more cases, with an additional 2.3 million SGD lost.
Authorities are reminding everyone that government officials will never ask you to transfer money or hand over cash, gold, luxury watches, or cryptocurrency. Folks here need to stay alert and not fall for these scams.
