14-10-2024 (SINGAPORE) In a remarkable collaborative effort between Singapore and Hong Kong law enforcement agencies, a 73-year-old woman has reclaimed over $197,000 lost to an elaborate online scam. The incident, detailed in a police press release on Monday, highlights the growing sophistication of cybercriminals and the importance of international cooperation in combating such threats.
The victim fell prey to a technical support scam while browsing the internet on her computer. An unsolicited pop-up message prompted her to contact what appeared to be a “Microsoft hotline”. Upon calling, she was cunningly transferred to a scammer impersonating a ‘cybercrime department officer’ from the Singapore Police Force.
Exploiting the victim’s fears of compromised bank accounts, the fraudster convinced her to grant access to her financial information through a screen-sharing application. This deception allowed the scammer to make unauthorised transfers from her account to an offshore destination.
The elderly woman’s suspicions were eventually aroused, leading her to terminate the call and report the incident to the police on 24 September. Swiftly responding to the report, Singapore’s Anti-Scam Centre (ASC) traced the funds to a Hong Kong-based bank account.
In a testament to the effectiveness of international law enforcement collaboration, the ASC worked in tandem with Hong Kong Police Force’s Anti-Deception Coordination Centre. Their joint efforts resulted in the full recovery of the stolen funds, a rare and commendable outcome in such cases.
