We would like to highlight to the general public of a recent incident involving a fraudulent act targeted towards an individual with a previous drug record. This resulted in a huge financial loss for the victim, as is the case in such scams.
The victim parked his car along Westlake Avenue while attempting to locate a new acquaintance. As he was unable to locate the acquaintance, he returned to his vehicle. On returning to his vehicle, he was accosted by another individual who started to “interrogate” the victim, claiming that the acquaintance had already been arrested. The victim complied with the various demands of the “scammer” including handing over his NRIC.
During the ordeal, the scammer, who represented himself as a law enforcement officer (by lending credence by talking on his mobile phone allegedly to the rest of his team and coordinating operations) told the victim that as he was not the main target, he would be let off only if he signed up for a voluntary rehabilitation programme. The victim agreed as he was fearful for his liberty. The victim adhered to whatever the scammer ordered him to do. As the victim could not look up for such a programme on his own, the scammer directed him towards the website of https://rehabnowsg.com.
Following his interaction with someone from this entity, the victim had to make a payment of $47,000 to the company, purportedly for signing up for a rehab programme with them.
To lend credence to the transaction, the victim had to sign an agreement with the rehab service provider, while in the presence of the scammer.
Subsequent to this, the victim also transferred a further sum of $30,000 to the said company after being pressured by a certain individual of the said company. In all, the victim was scammed of $77,000.00
The victim received further communication from the company, requesting an assessment meeting at their preferred location. However, by then as the victim began to harbour doubts about the program and concerns about the legitimacy of the company, the victim requested to meet with the management in person to seek clarification with getting a full refund being the ultimate aim.
Unfortunately, this was denied, and he was pressured to proceed with the program.
The victim made enquiries and discovered that the addresses provided by the company were invalid and not associated with the company. It became evident then that he had fallen victim to an elaborate scam.
A police report has since been lodged and the matter is now currently under investigation.
A check of the said company and the website reveals that this company has only a paid up capital of $1000 and it was only incorporated in December 2022. The said company’s website does not indicate if it has the recognition of the various ministries for the programmes that it offers. It does not have the proper validation.
We urge the public to exercise caution and remain vigilant when encountering similar situations. It is essential to verify the legitimacy of any organization or program before making any financial commitments. If you have any information related to this incident or believe you may have been a victim of a similar scam yourself, please contact the competent authorities immediately.
