221 suspected scammers and money mules under investigation after 2-week police operation
A total of 136 men and 85 women are under investigation following a two-week police operation between Feb 26 and March 11, the police said on Thursday (March 12).The operation, involving officers from the police's commercial affairs department and seven police land divisions, resulted in investigations into 221 individuals aged between 17 and 81 for their suspected involvement in scams as scammers or money mules.They are believed to be involved in over 1,080 scam cases comprising mostly e-commerce scams, friend impersonation scams, job scams, government official impersonation scams, investment scams and rental scams.These cases have resulted in losses of over $5.3 million, the police said.The alleged offences of the individuals involved include cheating, money laundering, and providing payment services without a licence.If found guilty of cheating, an individual may face a jail term of up to 10 years and a fine, while those convicted of money laundering may be jailed for up to 10 years and fined up to $500,000.