PUBLISHED ONMay 04, 2026 8:16 AMBYSean LerIf you are told by a "government official' that you are under investigation for criminal activities, and asked to make cash deposits or transfers for "safekeeping", or to prove your innocence — stop and tell someone, or you could be the next victim of scam.
Since April 2026, there have been at least 68 such cases reported, with losses totalling at least $5.4million.
Scam variants involving victims meeting unknown persons to hand over cash or valuables have been widely reported this year, but it seems that scammers are evolving their techniques to catch victims off-guard.
In this variant, victims are similarly told that they are being investigated for criminal activities arising from a handset they did not purchase, a telecommunications contract they did not sign up for, or unauthorised bank transactions.
They are then instructed to perform cash transfers or deposits via an automated teller machine (ATM) into a "safe account".
In some cases, victims were asked to physically hand over their bank cards and PIN to those pretending to be an "officer" or "inspector".
Members of the public are reminded that government officials will not ask to transfer or handover cash and/or valuables or ask for banking login details.
If in doubt, members of the public should tell the authorities, family members or friends about the encounter and report any fraudulent transactions to their bank immediately.
They may also call the 24/7 ScamShield Helpline at 1799.
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