Scammers can move stolen money across borders quickly, making speed critical for investigators trying to recover victims’ funds.
“Speed is critical,” said Inspector Harbhajan Kaur, a senior investigation officer with the Singapore Police Force’s (SPF) Anti-Scam Investigation Branch and has worked in the police force for close to 30 years.
The 46-year-old made the remarks during a media interview with Cyber Command officers at the Police Cantonment Complex on Wednesday (Sept 16), weeks after the SPF operationalised the unit on July 3.
She is responsible for conducting swift investigations into a wide range of scams, identifying scam networks, disrupting their activities, and tracing and recovering illicit proceeds.
Cyber Command takes broader approach
The unit, which has a total of 280 staff, brings together key investigative, operational and intelligence capabilities from across the SPF to strengthen Singapore’s response to cyber threats.
It provides a full-spectrum response, from dismantling criminal syndicates to raising public awareness about scams.
The scale of the problem remains significant. In the first half of 2026, Singapore recorded about 16,800 scam cases, with victims losing about $411 million.
Investment scams accounted for the largest amount lost among scam types.
The SPF said Cyber Command will also work with public and private stakeholders locally and internationally to combat scams and cybercrime.
Its new Cyber Operations Centre will use technology to detect and disrupt online criminal activities, including scam enablers, in real time.
Scam investigations are ultimately about people
For investigators like Inspector Harbhajan, the closer integration enables officers to work more closely across different functions, facilitating better information-sharing and coordination when responding to cybercrime and scam threats, she said.
“Scam cases are inherently challenging due to their transnational nature and the speed at which funds can be moved.”
Investigators use interviews, recovery and analysis of data, including deleted files and communication logs, as well as technological tools to trace illicit proceeds and identify syndicate members.
She said that when funds remain in local bank accounts, police can work with financial institutions to freeze them almost immediately, but it becomes difficult to trace or recover them once they leave Singapore.
Inspector Harbhajan also pointed to an increasing trend of Malaysians travelling to Singapore to assist scam syndicates by collecting cash and valuables from victims or making cash withdrawals from ATMs using relinquished bank cards.
These money mules can enter and leave Singapore on the same day, making the funds harder to trace, she said.
She said successful interventions and recoveries represent real people and families whose hardship has been reduced.
“Scam investigations are ultimately about people,” she said, adding that helping victims and preventing others from falling prey to scams makes the work challenging but rewarding.
Those unsure if they have encountered a scam can call the 24/7 ScamShield Helpline at 1799.
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