SINGAPORE, May 2 — Nude photos and videos of men in Singapore are being circulated and sold in a Telegram group that claims the victims were tricked into sending the images to scammers posing as women.
The Straits Times (ST) reported that access to the group’s library is sold for a one‑off fee of S$600 (RM1,871), with administrators advertising “thousands” of images and clips.
An administrator told the newspaper that the content came from men who were “baited” into sharing intimate material, saying they believed they were communicating with women online.
ST said it could not verify the size of the collection or the group’s claim that about 180 people were in its membership.
Previews posted on a linked Telegram channel showed men performing sexual acts, including footage recorded through the platform’s live video function.
One clip showed a man in a military uniform partially undressed in front of a locker.
Payments for access can be made through several platforms, including multi‑currency digital wallets, cryptocurrency and a QR code linked to Indonesia’s QRIS system.
Checks by ST found the QRIS payment recipient listed as “Bengkel Cinta”, or Love Workshop, in Rokan Hilir, Riau province, Indonesia.
A separate payment route through the Indonesian digital wallet DANA listed a female recipient with an Indonesian phone number, who blocked ST’s number after being contacted by text.
The group’s administrators have also been promoting the content on social media platform X, where an account created in March had more than 8,100 followers as at April 30.
A previous X account linked to the group was suspended for violating platform rules, according to ST.
X’s guidelines state that posting sexually explicit images or videos of a person without consent is prohibited because such content “poses serious safety and security risks for people affected and can lead to physical, emotional and financial hardship”.
Singapore has seen similar cases before, including the SG Nasi Lemak Telegram group, which sold intimate images of women and at its peak had more than 44,000 members.
Four suspects were arrested in that case in 2019, with sentences ranging from probation to jail and fines.
Harjeet Kaur, a senior associate at Withers KhattarWong, told ST that victims should lodge police reports immediately.
“Early intervention is the most effective means of limiting further distribution and preserving the best prospects of pursuing the perpetrators through the available legal channels,” she said.
She noted that victims unaware their images are circulating would have no legal recourse.
She added that Singapore can still assert jurisdiction even if perpetrators are overseas, though enforcement is challenging due to cross‑border cooperation and attempts by offenders to hide their tracks.
She described such cases as a form of scam that blends sexual exploitation with financial crime and said they are “especially effective” at exploiting victims’ fear and shame.
“Victims should be reassured that coming forward is both the right course of action and the most effective means of protecting themselves and preventing others from falling prey to the same scheme,” she said.
