SINGAPORE – A 34-year-old woman, Sakinah Waheeda Abdul Manan, was sentenced to 14 months in prison after her involvement in a $4.8 million phishing scam. She had agreed to share her Singpass details with an individual, promising her a reward of $60,000 annually, as she was in need of money shortly after being released from prison.
Sakinah, who had a history of drug-related offenses and other criminal activities, met a person named “Alan” on the messaging platform Telegram. Alan convinced her to share her Singpass details, claiming she would be paid for doing so. The arrangement led to her becoming the registered director of two companies, Froxify Trade and Frox Designz, which were controlled by foreign directors.
Using her Singpass details, Alan opened a bank account for Froxify Trade in July 2021. In September of that year, the account received nearly $4.8 million in proceeds from a phishing scam. Although Sakinah had suspicions about the arrangement, she still attended a bank interview to help open the account, after Alan provided her with information about the business to address any questions from the bank.
Despite her doubts, she did not take any further action. The scam proceeds were deposited into Froxify Trade’s account on three separate occasions in late September 2021. However, the money was quickly dissipated. On October 5, 2021, the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) learned of the scam after receiving information from the United States that a company’s email system had been compromised. The authorities seized the account two days later, leaving only about $8,600.
In another instance, Alan asked Sakinah to open a second bank account and provided her with a $1,500 reward in exchange. She complied and shared her internet banking details. A victim of a cryptocurrency scam deposited $8,000 into this account, which was later flagged by the police.
Sakinah was charged in 2024 for her role in the scams and will serve her 14-month sentence as a result.
