SINGAPORE, April 22 — At least 24 people in Singapore have fallen victim to online scams offering fraudulent assistance with permanent residence (PR) applications since January 1, with losses amounting to about S$397,000 (RM1.23 million), police said.

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) said victims were deceived into paying application fees and additional charges, with scammers promising to boost approval chances through investments in companies, purchases of academic certifications, and donations, The Straits Times reported.

In an advisory today, the SPF urged the public to remain vigilant against such scams, which are often promoted through advertisements or posts on social media platforms.

“Some victims have also received false documents on their PR application status sent from what appears to be the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).

“Victims would realise they had been scammed only after checking directly with ICA,” it said. — Bernama