Monetary Authority of Singapore and Singapore Police Force issue advisory on scammers impersonating MAS officials using Register of Representatives portal

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Singapore Police Force published a joint advisory warning of scams in which fraudsters impersonate MAS officials and leverage MAS’ Register of Representatives e-service to deceive victims. Since March 2025, at least three cases have been reported with total losses of at least $614,000. Victims receive unsolicited calls from local numbers starting with “8xxx xxxx” or “9xxx xxxx” and are directed to search their name on the legitimate Register of Representatives portal to “verify” the caller’s identity and registration number. The advisory clarifies that the register is a public record of representatives appointed by financial institutions to conduct regulated activities under the Securities and Futures Act and provide financial advisory services under the Financial Advisers Act, not a list of MAS employees, and that the website cannot verify whether the caller is the person listed. Scammers then claim the victim’s bank accounts are linked to money laundering or that personal data has been compromised, and pressure victims to disclose personal information such as bank account details and SingPass passwords or one-time passwords, or to transfer funds to a designated account, sometimes using a PayNow payee name that mirrors the victim’s name. MAS and the Police reiterate that government officials will not ask the public over the phone to transfer money, disclose banking details, install apps from unofficial app stores, or be directly transferred to the Police except when calling 995 for life-threatening emergencies, and they encourage the public to use official channels such as ScamShield and to contact banks and make a police report if scammed.