Over S$362K lost to scammers impersonating M1 and MAS staff, SPF tells public to stay vigilant

13 cases reported of scammers posing as M1 and MAS staff, cheating victims out of at least $362,000

Scammers pretending to be employees of M1 Limited and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) have defrauded victims of at least S$362,000 across 13 reported cases since Sept 2025, according to a police advisory on Monday (6 Oct).

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) said the incidents involve a new variant of the Government Officials Impersonation Scam, where victims are contacted via unsolicited phone or WhatsApp calls.

Victims told that their names were linked to criminal cases

In this scam, victims first receive unsolicited phone or WhatsApp calls from someone pretending to be an M1 staff member.

The scammer would claim that the victim has an outstanding mobile plan or device delivery under their name.

When the victim denies this, they would be instructed to contact a so-called “customer service” number.

This number connects them to another scammer pretending to be from MAS.

This second scammer would then tell the victim that their personal details have been used for crimes such as money laundering or fraud, before pressuring them to transfer funds for investigation purposes.

Victims told to transfer money or screenshare

The scammers’ instructions vary but often include:

• Transferring funds via PayNow or to “safety accounts” designated by the “government”
• Handing cash to unknown individuals
• Performing digital currency-related transfers
• Screensharing their phones while logging into bank accounts

Some victims only realised they had been scammed after being asked to send more money, or when verifying the claims with the police.

Police urge public to stay vigilant

The SPF emphasised that no Singapore Government or MAS officer would ever:

• Ask you to transfer money or disclose banking details
• Request that you install mobile apps from unofficial stores
• Transfer your call to the police

They reminded the public never to hand over money or valuables to strangers, and not to leave them at locations for “collection”.

Authorities urged Singaporeans to use the ADD, CHECK, and TELL anti-scam method.

The police stressed that combating scams is a community effort, urging everyone to stay alert and help protect others from falling victim.

Also read: At least 384 Government impersonation scams in S’pore since June 2025, over S$20M lost

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Featured image adapted from the Singapore Police Force website and the Monetary Authority of Singapore website.