SMS loanshark scam suspects nabbed; 3 men believed to be involved in 180 cases
Picture on left: Mr Jason Lim is one of more than 180 people who have received threatening SMSes in the past month, as part of a loanshark scam. (Photo: TNP, Jeremy Long)
By Lim Yan Liang
The Straits Times
Friday, Apr 12, 2013
SINGAPORE - Following extensive inquiries, the suspects were arrested at Hougang and Ceylon Road by officers from the Criminal Investigation Department and Police Intelligence Department. Several handphones, laptops, ATM cards and USB drives were also seized during a six-hour operation on Friday.
Get the full story from The Straits Times.
Here is the full press release from the Police:
Police have arrested 3 men, aged between 18 and 26, for suspected involvement in a series of island-wide loanshark harassment scams.
In these cases, the victims would usually receive SMS messages from unknown mobile phone numbers threatening to harass their homes unless they pay up.
When the victims called back the phone numbers, they would be told by the culprits that their "particulars" had been used to borrow money from loansharks with no specific details provided.
The culprits would also demand payment from the victims and threaten to harass their families by locking, splashing paint or setting fire at their units if they did not pay up.
Although the victims in most cases had no dealings with loansharks, a few of the victims transferred money to bank account numbers provided by the culprits out of fear.
Through extensive follow-up investigations and enquiries, Police managed to establish the suspects' identities.
In a 6-hour operation on 12 April 2013, officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Police Intelligence Department (PID) arrested the suspects in Hougang and Ceylon Road.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspects were believed to be involved in at least 180 cases.
Upon their arrests, several electronic storage devices, mobile phones, SIM cards and ATM cards were seized as case exhibits.
The three men will be charged in Court on 13 April 2013 for an offence of Cheating with Common Intention under Section 420 read with Section 34 of the Penal Code, Chapter 224 which carries a punishment of up to 10 years' imprisonment and a fine.
Assistant Director of the CID, Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Police (DAC) Sekher Warrier, commended the officers for their excellent investigations and relentless effort that resulted in the arrest of the suspects.
Members of public are advised to be aware of such scams and to adopt the following measures:
a) Do not reveal your personal particulars such as name, NRIC number, residential address and contact details to unknown individuals;
b) Keep your SingPass log-in details confidential and do not disclose it to anyone;
c) Do not give in to unknown and unsolicited demands for loan repayments; and
d) Do not contact the sender of the SMS messages.
Members of public who receive such SMSes or calls should report the matter to the Police at any police station or online via the Electronic Police Centre at http://www.spf.gov.sg/epc.
They can call '999' if urgent police assistance is required.
