Singapore Bank Employee Foils S$200,000 Scam as Victim Nearly Hands Over Cash

Fionice Teoh, a 31-year-old assistant service manager at DBS Century Square in Singapore, foiled a scam attempt worth over S$200,000 on 24 December 2024. Teoh, who was 38 weeks pregnant and on one of her final shifts before maternity leave, endured nearly two hours of verbal abuse from the victim — a woman in her 70s — while preventing the withdrawal.

The elderly victim demanded S$190,000 in cash and had already withdrawn S$12,000 from another DBS branch. She had been reporting her whereabouts to the criminals three times daily over three days before visiting the branch. The scammers, who impersonated banking personnel and law enforcement officers, had convinced her they needed to examine her cash as part of a money laundering investigation.

In 2024, Singapore recorded 1,504 cases of government official impersonation scams with victims losing a total of S$151.3 million. For Malaysians, this case reinforces the value of the human element in scam prevention — technology alone cannot catch every case.

The victim had been under sustained psychological control. During her visit to the bank, she kept her phone to her ear and was being actively coached by a scammer on what to say to staff. She initially claimed the money was for "festive purchases," then changed her story to "investment." She appeared agitated, avoided eye contact, and kept checking her phone.

Teoh recognised the warning signs — defensiveness, phone attachment, inconsistent explanations, and avoidance of eye contact. She suggested the victim return the next day, buying time for the bank's anti-scam team to intervene. That evening, Deputy Superintendent Benedict Ng from the police Anti-Scam Centre visited the victim's home, spending approximately one hour convincing the anxious victim she was being deceived.

The victim later returned to the bank with chocolates to thank both Teoh and DSP Ng. Banks across Singapore and Malaysia have implemented similar protocols, training frontline staff to ask probing questions when customers display signs of distress during large cash withdrawals.

Do Malaysian banks train staff to spot scam victims?

Yes. Bank Negara Malaysia requires financial institutions to implement scam awareness training for frontline staff. Many banks have also implemented cooling-off periods and enhanced verification for large or unusual transactions.

How do I report a scam attempt in Malaysia?

Call 997 (NSRC), lodge a police report, report via SemakMule at semakmule.rmp.gov.my.