Imposter arrested after accompanying 82-year-old man to bank to purchase $1.2 million cashier's order

He was targeted by scammers three times in two months.

The 82-year-old man could have lost up to $3.7 million if not for the swift intervention by the Singapore Police Force's Anti-Scam Centre working with CIMB Bank and Hong Leong Finance.

The first time it happened, CIMB’s Fraud Management Team detected some large transactions amounting to $2.1 million being made from the man's bank account on Feb 6.

The Anti-Scam Centre and CIMB officers jointly engaged the elderly victim at his residence. To protect the victim, the Anti-Scam Centre also sought his son’s assistance to provide family support to the victim and the CIMB’s fraud management team suspended the victim’s bank account to prevent further losses.

A sum of $1.3 million was recovered with the remaining sum being dissipated overseas prior to the police report.

The next day, the Anti-Scam Centre was alerted by the son that three cheques amounting to $1.2 million were issued by Hong Leong Finance under his father’s instruction to three individuals.

Hong Leong Finance was instructed to hold the cheques, pending further verifications.

On March 9, the Anti-Scam Centre was alerted by CIMB’s Branch Operation Team that the man was accompanied by an unknown person at CIMB Bank Branch to purchase a cashier’s order of $1.2 million.

Officers from the Anti-Scam Centre and Central Police Division responded swiftly and engaged the man at the bank.

A 20-year-old male suspect was subsequently arrested for his suspected involvement in a government official impersonation scam.

Anti-Scam Command officers seized two mobile phones and some documents used in the commission of the offence.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect, acting under the instructions of the fake China police, had impersonated a Chinese police officer and accompanied the man to the bank after demanding the man purchase a cashier’s order amounting to $1.2 million.

Preliminary investigations also revealed that the man is believed to be involved in three other cases involving the government official impersonation scam in February and March.

Investigations against the man are still ongoing.

The offence of cheating by personation carries an imprisonment term of up to five years, a fine, or both. The offence of cheating carries an imprisonment term of up to 10 years and a fine.