INGAPORE - A 34-year-old woman was asked to transfer about S$14,000 to someone's bank account to secure the release of a friend she met on a dating website.
But sensing something was amiss, the woman called the police to check and found out it was a scam.
Both the police and the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority do not require the transfer of monies into bank accounts for the release of any person being detained.
The woman was at the airport to meet the friend who claimed to be an American travelling to Singapore to visit her after their online meeting.
But when she turned up at Changi Airport on October 21, she received a call from a man claiming to be an immigration officer, informing her that her American friend had been detained for bringing large sums of money into Singapore.
The caller then told her to transfer about S$14,000 to a bank account urgently to secure his release.
Police have classified the case as attempted cheating. Offenders found guilty may be jailed up to 10 years and fined.
Police have also asked members of the public to take extra caution in befriending strangers on the Internet and not to make any bank transfer payment for bail or fine as the authorities do not require such transfers of money.
Members of the public should also not entertain emails or any online messages that are unfamiliar.
Anyone who encounters similar incidents may call the police hotline at 1800-255-0000 or '999' if urgent police assistance is required.
