SINGAPORE: Members of the public are advised to be wary of scams involving the impersonation of Ministry of Law (MinLaw) officials, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and MinLaw said on Thursday (Apr 23).Since February 2026, at least 98 government official impersonation scam cases have been reported, with total losses of at least S$8.5 million (US$6.7 million), the authorities said in a joint press release.In this scam variant, victims would receive unsolicited calls, messages or emails from scammers pretending to be staff from telecommunications providers or banks.The scammers would inform them of unauthorised applications for bank cards or telecommunications plans and direct them to someone else, purportedly from MinLaw, for further assistance.Show MoreShow LessVictims would then be informed of their alleged involvement in criminal activities and instructed to transfer money to “safety accounts” or hand over their valuables for investigation purposes.The scammers may also show the victims documents purportedly from government agencies like MinLaw, senior public officials, or political office holders.Victims would only realise they had been scammed when the scammers became uncontactable or when they sought verification with MinLaw or SPF.Members of the public should never hand over their cash or login credentials to people they do not know, said MinLaw and SPF.The authorities added that government officials, including those from MinLaw, will never ask members of the public for money or banking login details, to install mobile apps from unofficial app stores or to transfer their call to the police."Do not trust unsolicited communications, even if the caller appears to have your personal information," said MinLaw and SPF.Those with doubts about the authenticity of any communications from MinLaw officials can contact the ministry online or via the hotline at 1800 2255 529.For more information on scams, members of the public can visit the ScamShield website or call the 24/7 ScamShield helpline at 1799.