More Malaysian scammers target Singapore-based victims to pass cash, gold to ‘mules’

Scam syndicates allegedly from Malaysia are increasingly relying on couriers and physical handovers when targeting victims in Singapore, as tighter banking safeguards make fraudulent online transfers harder for them to pull off, according to police and crime experts.Recent police cases suggest some criminals are turning to cross-border transfers in which victims are pressured into handing over cash or valuables in Singapore before the proceeds are passed through “mules” working for scam syndicates.In at least one case announced in January, the Singapore-police-force" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="39735" data-entity-type="organization">Singapore Police Force said stolen funds were later withdrawn from ATMs in Malaysia “within hours”.The trend has become more noticeable in government official impersonation scams, in which suspects pose as police officers, bank staff or regulators to frighten victims into surrendering money. Victims would often be told they are under investigation for fraud and are asked to make monetary transfers to “prove” that their funds are legitimate.The Singapore police said the use of mules to collect scam proceeds was not new but had become more frequent as scammers pivoted away from online transfers to sidestep tighter safeguards.On March 5, the police said more than 50 Malaysians had been arrested and charged since May 2025 for facilitating scam syndicates to collect cash and valuables, with nine arrests made so far this year.