Malaysian woman loses $187,000 after scammers promise Singapore permanent residency

A Malaysian woman has lost a staggering $187,000 after falling victim to scammers who promised her Singapore permanent residency, according to police in Johor Bahru South district. The victim initially came across a Facebook advertisement in December 2025 offering immigration assistance. She then made contact with a person listed in the ad, who assured her the process could be facilitated for a fee of S$300 (US$236).

However, the woman soon found herself in a financial nightmare as the demands for money escalated. Over a period of several months, from May 5 to August 31, she made 123 separate transfers from her savings, sending a total of RM762,700 (approximately $187,000) to different bank accounts provided by the suspect. Concerned, the woman eventually realized she had been defrauded and promptly reported the incident to the police.

Authorities launched an investigation, tracing the fraudulent transactions and ultimately locating and arresting the suspect. The case is being treated as cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code, with a potential maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, corporal punishment by whipping, and a fine. It remains unclear whether any of the stolen funds have been recovered.