Singaporean woman, 69, loses S$20,000 after fake friend claims detention at Changi Airport

A 69-year-old Singaporean woman lost S$20,000 after falling victim to a fake friend impersonation scam in which a caller falsely claimed to have been detained at Changi Airport and urgently needed bail money.

According to the Singapore Police Force, officers received a report on 3 July 2026 from the woman, who said she had received a call the previous day from someone claiming to be an acquaintance.

The caller allegedly told her he had been detained by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) after arriving at Changi Airport Terminal 4 because he had failed to declare funds held in his bank account.

He claimed he required S$20,000 as bail to secure his temporary release.

Believing the request was genuine, the woman went to Changi Airport Terminal 4 the following morning and handed S$20,000 in cash to an unknown man.

She became suspicious only after the man allegedly instructed her to make further payments by bank transfer.

Realising she had been deceived, she lodged a police report.

Suspect arrested before leaving Singapore

Following the report, officers from the Airport Police Division launched investigations and identified the man who had allegedly collected the cash.

On 22 July, the police arrested a 23-year-old Malaysian at the departure hall of Changi Airport Terminal 4 before he could leave Singapore.

Preliminary investigations indicate the suspect had allegedly been recruited by unidentified individuals believed to be part of a transnational scam syndicate.

Police believe his role was to collect cash from scam victims before passing the proceeds to other unidentified persons.

He was charged on 23 July with assisting another to retain benefits from criminal conduct under Section 51(a) of the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act 1992.

If convicted, he faces up to 10 years' imprisonment, a fine of up to S$500,000, or both. The offence also carries caning of up to 12 strokes.

Police urge vigilance

Police advised members of the public to be cautious when receiving calls from unknown numbers requesting urgent financial assistance.

"The Police would like to advise members of the public to be wary of any persons who contact you via an unknown number and asking you for urgent financial help," the police said.

The authorities urged the public to verify such requests through independent channels before handing over cash or transferring money, and never to make payments to people whose identities have not been adequately verified.

Singapore scam victims losses S$913.1 million in 2025

According to data released by the Singapore Police Force in February 2026, 37,308 scam cases were reported in 2025, contributing to a 24.8 per cent decline in total scam and cybercrime cases to 41,974.

Despite the overall fall, scams remained the primary driver of cybercrime, accounting for 88.9 per cent of all reported cases. Total financial losses from scams fell by 17.9 per cent to approximately S$913.1 million in 2025, down from the record S$1.124 billion recorded in 2024.

Even so, the amount lost remained substantial, underscoring the continuing financial impact of scam-related offences.

E-commerce scams were the most commonly reported scam type, with 6,703 cases, while adults aged between 30 and 49 were the most targeted group, accounting for 36.1 per cent of all scam victims.