Singapore immigration scams: S$8.8mil lost, 148 reports lodged

Singapore authorities have warned of a surge in immigration scams, with scammers draining at least S$8.8 million (RM28.07 million) from victims since January. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and Singapore Police Force (SPF) issued a joint advisory revealing 148 reports of immigration-related scams. The scammers impersonate immigration officers, offering fraudulent Permanent Resident (PR) application services on social media platforms.

Victims are directed to fake consultancy agency websites, prompted to submit personal information, and then coerced into paying fees ranging from S$200 to S$90,000 to supposedly improve their chances of PR approval. The ICA explicitly states it does not endorse such services and advises individuals to submit applications directly through its website.

One victim, a 62-year-old Malaysian woman, lost RM762,700 (S$238,500) by following such fraudulent advice. Scammers then instruct victims to make bank transfers or hand over cash to unknown individuals, only for them to realize they have been scammed upon approaching the authority to verify fake In-Principle Approval (IPA) letters.