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Scams and swindles

Scams and swindles
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Scams and swindles. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
People take pictures next to the Merlion statue at the Marina Bay waterfront in Singapore. Photo: AFP
Singapore

Singapore cracks down on scammers with mandatory caning

The new law with tougher penalties for fraud syndicates and money mules to fight rising cybercrime takes effect December 30.

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Malaysia

Malaysian woman loses US$293,000 after hiring ‘anti-scam’ firm to recoup US$366

Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong police arrest 7 in crackdown on credit card theft, fraud syndicate

Social media

How the global grey market in SIM cards powers fraud and influence

How much does an army of bots cost? A new study reveals how likes and clout are bought.

Research has shown how SIM cards from the grey market are powering bot armies that fill social media with fake likes and comments to manipulate users and deliberately steer trends. Photo: dpa
Hong Kong courts

Hongkonger remanded after ‘impersonating fire victim, claiming HK$18,000 in aid’

Defendant allegedly said he was Chan Man-him, a resident of fifth-floor flat at Wang Shing House, while the actual occupant was Wong Kam-hung.

United States

‘Crypto king’ Do Kwon gets 15 years in prison for misleading investors

The South Korean founder of Terraform Labs had previously pleaded guilty to fraud charges stemming from a US$40 billion stablecoin crash.

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Mainland China

Video | China extradites scam suspects from Myanmar

The extraditions follow Myanmar’s raids on multiple scam compounds since October 2025.

More than 1,000 suspects of telecoms fraud have been extradited to China following raids on multiple scam compounds in Myanmar since October 2025.
Trending in China

China public servants use face masks to bypass facial recognition machines, skip work

Local level government staff make printouts of colleagues’ faces to circumvent clocking-in system, triggering backlash.

Trending in China

China prankster injures girlfriend by accident, fakes car crash for insurance cash

Argumentative couple stage ‘accident’ in remote location but their ill-conceived criminal scheme unravels when police step in.

Southeast Asia forced-labour scams

Letters | Cambodia is confronting the scourge of online scams head-on

Readers discuss the cross-border effort targeting the syndicates behind Cambodia’s scam farms, Malaysia’s first fully home-grown EV, and the investigation into the Tai Po fire in Hong Kong.

Suspects are detained during a police raid on a scam centre in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on July 16. The operation was part of a nationwide crackdown on cybercrime networks, following Prime Minister Hun Manet’s order to shut down online scam operations often run like sweatshops. Photo: EPA
Thailand

‘Everyone gets a cut’: why Southeast Asia’s scam industry refuses to die

Authorities are seizing assets and raiding compounds, but analysts warn the clumsy crackdown is merely scattering syndicates to new hideouts.

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A woman counts US dollars and Japanese yen banknotes in Phnom Penh. Scam money’s reach extends far beyond the Mekong. Photo: AFP
Hong Kong society

Editorial | Persistence of scams targeting students in Hong Kong shows need for vigilance

Stronger enforcement and publicity of anti-fraud measures are necessary to uphold the city’s allure as a hub for education.

India

Cyber scams threaten confidence in India’s outsourcing industry

Fraudsters leveraging India’s cost advantages and skilled workforce create a systemic risk for legitimate businesses, analysts warn.

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Trending in China

Chinese man hides 2 gold bars in chilli sauce jar, sends to ‘friend’ for investment

Patient questioning by woman police officer leads elderly man to reveal details of stock trading racket; victim finally gets his money back.

An elderly Chinese man who hid two small gold bars in a jar of chilli sauce before sending them to a “friend” turned out to be the victim of an investment scam. Photo: Shutterstock
Singapore

How a husband’s secret life between Singapore and Malaysia was exposed

Ng Teong Min, jailed for bigamy, shed tears in court and pleaded guilty to deceiving his first wife for 30 years, and fathering two more children.

A Singaporean man lived a double life secretly marrying in Malaysia and having two children, until his bigamy was discovered and he was jailed. Photo: Shutterstock
Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Editorial | After mourning fire victims, Hong Kong must slowly recover and rebuild

Hongkongers have shown their compassion, solidarity and perseverance in the wake of the Tai Po tragedy. With time, the city shall overcome.

Trending in China

China consumers use AI to alter product photos, claim refunds for ‘damaged’ goods

‘Immoral’ online buyers create fake discrepancies across range of products; experts warn AI bandits that they could be committing fraud.

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Trending in China

Chinese homeless man fakes wealth, hires women for companionship, lives luxury life

Chen regularly visits upscale venues, always with different women, whom he has convinced to cover all expenses.

A homeless man in China impersonated a wealthy person, engaging five women for companionship and visiting high-end shops and restaurants without paying. Photo: Shutterstock/Baidu
Myanmar

Political show? Why Myanmar is again cracking down on cyber scammers

Myanmar’s junta has been under pressure to raid fraud hubs by China as its citizens have been badly affected by these scammers, analysts say.

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South Korea

Seoul sanctions Prince Group chairman Chen Zhi in Cambodia crime crackdown

Chen Zhi, the chairman of the Prince Group, is accused of overseeing scam compounds that detained dozens of South Koreans.

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Trending in China

Chinese man marries woman 4 hours after blind date, spends US$34,000 in a month

Huang says she typically would not respond when he reached out, but whenever she did, it was always about money.

A 40-year-old man married just four hours after a blind date and spent over US$34,000 of his savings within a month on his new wife. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Weibo
Thailand

Thailand to curb repeat visa-free entries amid rise in scams, illegal work

Around 2,900 foreigners have been barred by Thailand so far this year due to their multiple short-term entries.

Tourists visit Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, a major tourist destination in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand. Photo: Reuters
Thailand

Bangkok prison chief suspended over Chinese inmate sex scandal

Thai prison chief suspended amid scandal over Chinese inmates receiving illicit privileges, including alleged sex service visits.

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Malaysia 1MDB scandal

Fugitive Jho Low’s sister and associate ordered to pay US$2.8 billion to 1MDB

The judge noted that May Lin and associate Eric Tan failed to appear in court, resulting in a massive default judgment in the ongoing 1MDB suit.

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Singapore

Singapore orders Apple, Google to stop fake government message scams

Police told the tech giants to block spoofed government accounts on iMessage and Google Messages to tackle rising fraud threats.

Singapore has ordered Apple and Google to block fake government messages on their platforms. Photo: Reuters
Singapore

Standard Chartered faces US$2.7 billion 1MDB suit in Singapore

The lawsuit alleges Standard Chartered enabled acts of fraud leading to US$2.7 billion in losses over a decade. The bank plans to appeal.

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The Standard Chartered logo on tower one of the Marina Bay Financial Centre in Singapore. Photo: Harvey Kong
South Korea

Former South Korean rock star implicated in US$136 million fraud scheme

Kim Jae-hee, a former member of Boohwal, used his public profile to encourage people to join the Ponzi scheme, police say.

Science

Chief scientist at China’s top warship-building research institute detained

Jiangsu University of Science and Technology says it has fired Guo Wei over the accusations of academic misconduct.

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