Three people arrested for roles in scheme that compromised work permit holders’ Singpass accounts

Three individuals are scheduled to face court on August 8, accused of their alleged involvement in a scheme that targeted work permit holders' Singpass accounts. The perpetrators allegedly offered these workers money in exchange for their Singpass login credentials. Once the credentials were obtained, the criminals used them to create fraudulent accounts on LiquidPay and to establish over 1,200 phone lines without the knowledge of the affected workers.

At least 23 work permit holders have reported their Singpass accounts being locked after being offered $80 in exchange for access to their accounts. The suspects reportedly met the workers at locations like MRT stations, HDB residential areas, and construction sites to obtain their Singpass passwords. The fraudulently obtained accounts were used to apply for telco and financial services, with the victims often unaware of the unauthorized activity.

The police, in collaboration with the Cyber Command and Singpass Trust & Safety team, have launched an operation aimed at identifying the syndicate members and taking action against them. This resulted in the arrest of a 25-year-old man and two women aged 29 and 38 for their suspected roles in obtaining Singpass login credentials.

The three individuals face charges of obtaining another person's Singpass credential, with potential penalties including imprisonment and fines if convicted. The police caution the public against accepting offers of financial gain in exchange for disclosing Singpass credentials, as this can result in severe penalties, including imprisonment.