In a usual scam encounter, Singaporean authorities are probing a case involving 376 individuals who might be engaged in a wide-scale theft. The youngest person of interest is reportedly a 13-year-old citizen.
According to the police, the scammers reportedly stole over $9.2 million from their victims. The authorities added that 122 were women while 254 were men whose ages ranged from 13 to 71.
More than 300 Scammers Linked to Illegal Activities
According to a report by The Strait Times, the Commercial Affairs Department of Singapore launched a special investigation into the recent scam in the community.
Along with seven police land divisions, the authorities conducted an operation for two weeks.
The authorities cited that the suspects have no particular techniques for scamming innocent people since they were involved in various activities such as rental services, e-commerce scams, impersonation of Chinese government officials, and more.
Based on the investigation, the scammers were reportedly involved in money laundering and cheating. Those guilty of the latter will be put behind bars for more than 10 years in addition to the fine.
Meanwhile, money launderers will face the same jail time as the cheaters, and they will get slapped with a $500,000 fine, as well. Those who run payment services with no license are on the verge of being imprisoned for up to three years or getting fined up to $125,000.
How to Avoid Getting Involved in these Crimes
The police urged the public to stay alert at all times, especially around suspicious people. There's a possibility that they could become an accomplice of the suspect if they are found to be conniving with them.
To prevent this from happening, the authorities said that people should be wary of requests asking for their bank accounts or mobile numbers. If a person is found connected to this plot, they could also be held accountable and might face fines depending on the severity of the crime.
Can a Scammer Scam Another Scammer?
In some cases, some scammers tend to deceive their co-scammers into their own trap. According to Wired, it's not surprising to know why this happens, given that suspects often attempt to fool other competitors in the business.
Cybercriminals, without them knowing, can be victims, too. The fact that they are unaware that other scammers can steal money or information from them is alarming. It only means that scammers are becoming more innovative in running dubious operations within their network.
For online users, Tech Times wrote some tips to avoid getting scammed by internet lurkers.
The report said users should refrain from clicking unknown text messages on their devices. Moreover, they are also advised to utilize 2FA methods to protect their accounts from unwanted attempts.
