Singapore Police Warn of STRO Impersonation Scam: $408,000 Lost Since April

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) has issued a new warning against a scam variant involving the impersonation of officers from the Suspicious Transaction Reporting Office (STRO) of the Commercial Affairs Department. Since April 2025, at least 20 cases have been reported, with total losses of at least $408,000.

Victims were contacted via unsolicited calls, including WhatsApp video calls, by scammers posing as STRO officers. To appear credible, scammers used fake warrant cards, police uniforms, and backgrounds displaying official crests. Some even introduced themselves using names of real officers sourced from public records.

The scammers falsely accused victims of involvement in criminal activities such as money laundering and claimed to be conducting investigations. In some cases, they first posed as bank representatives reporting suspicious transactions before redirecting victims to other scammers impersonating STRO officers. Fake documents, including “STRO reports” and “Anti-Money Laundering warrants,” were sent via WhatsApp to reinforce the deception.

Victims were then instructed to transfer funds to so-called “safety accounts,” hand over cash to unknown individuals, or conduct cryptocurrency transfers.

SPF clarified that STRO does not initiate unsolicited calls, issue arrest threats, or send “STRO reports” via WhatsApp. Authorities reiterated that Singapore Government officials will never request money transfers, banking credentials, or app installations from unofficial sources via phone calls.

The public is strongly advised to remain vigilant and verify identities before proceeding with any financial transactions. This advisory follows SPF’s August 22 alert on Government Official Impersonation Scams involving unsolicited WhatsApp calls.

Source: SPF (Screenshots of fake STRO reports and Anti-Money Laundering warrant provided by scammers via WhatsApp)