Six More Individuals Arrested for Unauthorized Address Changes in Singapore
SINGAPORE: In a recent development, six more individuals have been detained by the police for their involvement in unauthorized attempts to alter registered residential addresses through an online service provided by the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA). This brings the total number of arrests in connection to this case to 13.
Islandwide Operations Lead to Arrests
The latest suspects, consisting of five men and one woman aged between 18 and 39, were apprehended following islandwide operations conducted by the authorities. These arrests come after seven individuals, including six men and one woman aged between 19 and 32, were taken into custody during similar operations between Jan 11 and Jan 13. All 13 suspects are believed to be responsible for at least 66 cases of attempted unauthorized address changes.
Charges and Investigations
Nine of the suspects are currently under investigation for alleged offenses under the Computer Misuse Act, while two others are being investigated for unlawfully disclosing access codes. One suspect is also facing charges for transmitting another person’s Singpass credentials, while another is being probed for transferring benefits from criminal activities. Additionally, some of the suspects are also under investigation by the ICA for alleged breaches of national registration regulations.
So far, four of the suspects, aged between 26 and 38, have been charged. Three Singaporeans appeared in court on Friday morning, with their alleged offenses believed to be syndicated. Ng Wei Chang, Yuen Mun Fei, and Koh Hong Yan have all been charged for unauthorized attempts to change residential addresses on ICA’s service, while a 31-year-old man was charged on Wednesday for the unauthorized disclosure of access codes under the Computer Misuse Act.
Investigations and Public Awareness
The arrests come after ICA disclosed on Jan 11 that culprits were exploiting stolen or compromised Singpass accounts to fraudulently alter the addresses of unsuspecting victims. Investigations by ICA began in September last year following reports from the public regarding unauthorized changes to their residential addresses. Perpetrators were found to have used stolen or compromised Singpass accounts to change victims’ addresses through the “Others” option, allowing the alteration of addresses by a proxy.
Following the discovery of these unauthorized attempts, the police visited the affected addresses, uncovering that four out of 32 valid addresses had unsecured or faulty letterboxes. This allowed perpetrators easy access to PIN mailers, emphasizing the importance of securing mailboxes.
Members of the public are advised to verify their registered address on ICA’s website for accuracy and to report any discrepancies promptly. Investigations are ongoing, with the police pledging to spare no effort in tracking down additional suspects involved in these unlawful activities.
Remember, offenses under the Computer Misuse Act carry severe penalties, including jail sentences of up to three years, fines of up to S$10,000, or both. Stay vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the authorities to help combat cybercrime effectively.