Singapore scam victim recovered S$17,000 nearly 4 months later

A 70-year-old Singapore resident recovered the full S$17,000 he lost in a phone scam after nearly four months, an uncommon outcome in such cases. Goh said callers first posed as a Harvey Norman employee, then as officials from the Monetary Authority of Singapore, claiming he was linked to money laundering and needed to move funds to protect his assets. He transferred the money to a United Overseas Bank account on Dec. 8, 2025, then grew suspicious and went to police. He later raised the case with K. Shanmugam at a Meet-the-People Session. Goh said authorities told him there was a chance of recovery, and he received the full amount on March 25. Shanmugam wrote that many scam victims do not get their money back.