SINGAPORE: A 21-year-old female has been arrested for her alleged involvement in the kidnapping scam which usually saw a target cheated of more than S$350, 000 (RM1. 12mil).
The sufferer was also made to record a video of himself with her fingers and legs tangled up, so the scammers might use it to need a ransom from her parents in China.
The authorities said the believe was caught once they received a report on Tuesday (Sept 20) that the victim, who may be also 21, acquired supposedly been kidnapped.
“Prior towards the report, the parents of the victim, who were based in China, received a of the victim along with her hands plus legs tied up, with a ransom demand through an unknown person interacting in Mandarin, inch said the police in the statement on Sept 24.
Law enforcement officers, including those from your Tanglin Police Department and Criminal Analysis Department, investigated the particular incident and discovered the victim secure on Thursday inside a Yishun flat rented by the suspect.
The suspect was arrested for her purported involvement in the The far east officials impersonation fraud.
The police mentioned their preliminary inspections showed that the sufferer had received a call from somebody claiming to be an officer from Singapore’s Health Ministry.
The caller stated a phone collection registered in the victim’s name had been used to cheat people in China.
“When the target denied this, the phone call was redirected to a different scammer purporting to become an officer from your ‘China Police’, who have further alleged that a bank account in her name was also discovered to be involved in money laundering activities within China, ” the police said.
The scammer then informed the victim in order to transfer more than S$350, 000 (RM1. 12mil) to specified bank accounts as supposed bail money to avoid getting deported.
The particular victim was also told to record a video of herself tangled up, to assist in the proposed investigations.
After this, she was informed not to communicate with anybody else and had to separate herself in a “safe house”.
The authorities said the sufferer was unaware that this video was sent to her parents within China, with the scammer demanding more money for her release.
Right after arresting the believe in Singapore, the police learnt that the lady had acted at the scammer’s instructions in order to rent the room for the victim.
The lady was also told to give the victim a cell phone for her to get in touch with the scammer.
Investigations into the case are ongoing, the police said, reminding the general public that overseas law enforcement agencies have no jurisdiction to help with any kind of investigations here without the Singapore Government’s acceptance.
From January to August this season, a total of 476 China official impersonation scams were reported, with losses amounting to at least S$57. 3mil (RM183. 60mil). – The Straits Times (Singapore)