Man in Singapore loses $3,999 to TikTok 'hostage' scam, woman promised to be his girlfriend if rescued

A man in Singapore lost $3,999 to a scam on TikTok, after believing a woman who claimed to be held captive in Singapore. 

In a Dec 27 report by Shin Min Daily News, a 49-year-old air-con technician surnamed Lin (transliterated) said he was scrolling on TikTok when he received a message on Dec 16 from a woman claiming to be from Guangdong, China.

She told him she had lost $20,000 to an investment scam three months after arriving in Singapore and was being held hostage after not being able repay the amount to her 'boss'.

Lin said while the woman had asked him for financial help right from the beginning, he remained vigilant and did not make any promises.

She would also call him "dear" and promised to be his girlfriend if he helped to clear her debt, he said.

However, his heart softened when she called him crying, claiming she would be forced into prostitution if she didn’t pay up.

He told Shin Min that he had requested to speak to her through video call multiple times during the course of their interaction, but she told him she wasn’t allowed to do so.

When they moved their conversation over to WhatsApp, he noticed she was using a Hong Kong phone number.

When asked about it, she said she came to Singapore from Guangdong via Hong Kong.

On Dec 19, the woman eventually relented and they video-called for less than a minute, with her wearing a face mask before hanging up, said Lin.

Woman promised to be his girlfriend

On Dec 20, the woman's 'boss' sent Lin an address at Amoy Street, instructing him to make payment so he could take her away.

Lin arrived at the address to see a two-storey shophouse with a locked iron gate on the ground level.

He transferred $1,000 but was then told it was too late.

The woman again asked for help two days later and Lin transferred $2,999, but after doing so, the woman's 'boss' claimed she owed rent and demanded another $3,000.

It was at this point that Lin realised he had been scammed and called the police. 

In response to queries by AsiaOne, the police confirmed that a report has been made and investigations are ongoing.

According to Shin Min, the Amoy Street address is occupied by a restaurant. The owner stated that they would not be pursuing the matter as they were not affected by the case.

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syarifahsn@asiaone.com