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Sophisticated Investment Scam Impersonates Singapore Officials

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Last updated
1 unique sources, 1 articles

Summary

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A large-scale scam operation impersonating Singapore’s top officials has been uncovered. The operation uses verified Google Ads, fake news websites, and deepfake videos to lure victims into a fraudulent investment platform. The scam falsely associates itself with Singapore prime minister Lawrence Wong and coordinating minister for national security K Shanmugam to appear credible. The campaign specifically targeted Singapore residents by configuring Google Ads to appear only to local IP addresses. Victims who clicked on the ads were funneled through a chain of redirect sites designed to conceal the final fraudulent destination – a Mauritius-registered forex investment platform. The scam involved 28 verified advertiser accounts, mostly registered to individuals in Bulgaria, with others in Romania, Latvia, Argentina, and Kazakhstan. These accounts ran malicious Google Ads promising lucrative returns. The ads led users to 52 intermediary domains that redirected them to fake news pages impersonating outlets like CNA and Yahoo! News. The Mauritius-registered platform appeared legitimate due to its regulatory license, but its Cyprus-based parent company had faced multiple suspensions and lost its UK authorization in 2022.

Timeline

  1. 21.10.2025 18:00 1 articles · 23h ago

    Sophisticated Investment Scam Impersonates Singapore Officials

    A large-scale scam operation impersonating Singapore’s top officials has been uncovered. The operation uses verified Google Ads, fake news websites, and deepfake videos to lure victims into a fraudulent investment platform. The scam falsely associates itself with Singapore prime minister Lawrence Wong and coordinating minister for national security K Shanmugam to appear credible. The campaign specifically targeted Singapore residents by configuring Google Ads to appear only to local IP addresses. Victims who clicked on the ads were funneled through a chain of redirect sites designed to conceal the final fraudulent destination – a Mauritius-registered forex investment platform.

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Information Snippets

  • The scam operation used verified Google Ads, fake news websites, and deepfake videos to lure victims.

    First reported: 21.10.2025 18:00
    1 source, 1 article
    Show sources

  • The campaign specifically targeted Singapore residents by configuring Google Ads to appear only to local IP addresses.

    First reported: 21.10.2025 18:00
    1 source, 1 article
    Show sources

  • The scam involved 28 verified advertiser accounts, mostly registered to individuals in Bulgaria, with others in Romania, Latvia, Argentina, and Kazakhstan.

    First reported: 21.10.2025 18:00
    1 source, 1 article
    Show sources

  • The ads led users to 52 intermediary domains that redirected them to fake news pages impersonating outlets like CNA and Yahoo! News.

    First reported: 21.10.2025 18:00
    1 source, 1 article
    Show sources

  • The Mauritius-registered platform appeared legitimate due to its regulatory license, but its Cyprus-based parent company had faced multiple suspensions and lost its UK authorization in 2022.

    First reported: 21.10.2025 18:00
    1 source, 1 article
    Show sources