What Are Government Official Impersonation Scams?
Government Official Impersonation Scams (GOIS) involve scammers posing as senior government officials — including the Secretary to the Cabinet, Ministers, and even the Prime Minister — to deceive victims into transferring large sums of money. In 2025, these scams more than doubled, with losses reaching S$242.9 million. In May 2026, a Singapore businessman lost S$4.9 million after being targeted by scammers using deepfake AI to fabricate a virtual meeting with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and other officials.
If you are a business professional who has interacted with government agencies, you are a potential target. Here is how the scam works, what to watch for, and what to do if you are contacted.
How the Scam Works
The scam typically begins with a WhatsApp message from a number using a senior government official's name and profile photo. In recent cases documented by the Singapore Police Force (SPF), the scammer impersonated Mr Wong Hong Kuan, Secretary to the Cabinet, and informed the victim of an urgent meeting with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
The victim then receives an email from an address designed to look official — in one case, [email protected] — requesting urgent funding assistance. The email includes what appears to be an official government letter of guarantee bearing the Prime Minister's signature, promising reimbursement within 15 business days. The victim is asked to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) and provide identification card details.
The next stage is the most technically sophisticated: the victim is invited to a Zoom video conference that appears to include the Prime Minister, local officials, and overseas government representatives. Every participant in the meeting is a deepfake AI fabrication. After the meeting, the victim is contacted via WhatsApp and instructed to transfer funds to a corporate bank account. In the May 2026 case, the victim transferred at least S$4.9 million across multiple transactions before realising something was wrong.
The victim contacted the actual Secretary to the Cabinet on 14 May 2026 and discovered the entire operation was a scam.
Who Is Being Targeted
SPF data shows scammers are specifically targeting business professionals who have had prior interactions with government officials. These are not random attacks — the scammers research their targets and craft convincing scenarios based on real government processes and current events.
Since February 2026, the Ministry of Law and SPF have recorded at least 98 cases involving impersonation of government officials, with combined losses exceeding S$8.5 million. The May 2026 case involving S$4.9 million in a single incident represents one of the largest individual losses reported.
A Cambodia-based syndicate exposed in June 2026 used a similar three-level scheme, convincing victims their bank accounts were compromised and instructing them to transfer money to "safe" accounts controlled by scammers. That syndicate was linked to at least 330 reported cases with losses exceeding S$40 million.
Red Flags: What Government Officials Will Never Do
The SPF has issued clear guidance. Singapore government officials will never do any of the following over email, phone, or messaging apps:
- Ask you to transfer money
- Ask you to disclose bank login details or OTPs
- Ask you to install mobile apps from unofficial app stores
- Transfer your call to the Police or other government officials
- Request your identification card details for a virtual meeting
- Send you an NDA to sign before a government meeting
If you receive any communication that involves these requests, it is a scam — regardless of how official the sender appears.
How to Protect Yourself
Verify independently. If someone contacts you claiming to be a government official, do not use any contact details they provide. Look up the official government agency number and call them directly.
Be sceptical of urgency. Scammers create artificial time pressure — "urgent funding," "time-sensitive meeting," "reimbursement within 15 days." Legitimate government processes do not operate this way.
Check video calls. Deepfake technology can fabricate realistic video of public figures. If you are in a video call with someone claiming to be a senior government official and something feels off, end the call and verify through official channels.
Use ScamShield. Install the ScamShield app to filter scam calls and SMSes. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on all banking accounts and set transaction limits for internet banking.
Search on Scam.SG. Before engaging with any business or individual requesting funds, check their details on Scam.SG to verify their registration status and complaint history.
What to Do If You Have Been Targeted
If you have transferred money to a scammer, act immediately:
- Call your bank and request an urgent hold on the receiving account. The window for recovery is short — acting within 24 hours significantly improves the chances of recovering funds.
- File a police report at your nearest police station or online at police.gov.sg.
- Call the ScamShield Helpline at 1799 (available 24/7) for guidance and to report the scam.
- Report to Scam.SG so the platform can flag the scam and warn other users.
The SPF's Anti-Scam Command (ASCom) recovered S$140.5 million in 2025 and averted a further S$348 million in potential losses through proactive interventions. In June 2026, a joint operation between the SPF and cryptocurrency exchanges detected over 145 scam victims and prevented more than S$4.2 million in losses through blockchain analysis.
The Bigger Picture
Government Official Impersonation Scams represent a new frontier in scam sophistication. The combination of social engineering, forged official documents, and deepfake AI video makes these scams extraordinarily convincing. The SPF is launching a dedicated Cyber Command in July 2026 with approximately 200 officers focused on detecting threats upstream, dismantling fake platforms, and tracing cryptocurrency losses.
But technology alone cannot stop these scams. The most effective defence is awareness — knowing that no government official will ever ask you to transfer money, disclose banking details, or sign an NDA for a virtual meeting. If you receive such a request, it is a scam. Full stop.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Government Official Impersonation Scam?
A Government Official Impersonation Scam (GOIS) involves scammers posing as senior government officials to deceive victims into transferring money. In 2025, GOIS cases more than doubled in Singapore, with losses reaching S$242.9 million. The scammers use forged documents, fake email addresses, and increasingly, deepfake AI video to make their impersonations convincing.
How do scammers use deepfake AI in these scams?
Scammers create AI-generated video of public figures — including the Prime Minister and senior officials — and use it in video conference calls. The victim believes they are in a real meeting with government representatives. In the May 2026 case, every participant in the Zoom call was a deepfake fabrication. The technology has become sophisticated enough to fool business professionals who expect to interact with government officials.
What should I do if I receive a message from someone claiming to be a government official?
Do not respond using the contact details provided in the message. Instead, independently look up the official phone number of the government agency and call them directly to verify. Remember: government officials will never ask you to transfer money, share banking details, or install apps from unofficial stores. If the request involves any of these, it is a scam.
Can I recover money I have already transferred to a scammer?
Act immediately. Call your bank first and request an urgent hold on the receiving account. Then file a police report and call the ScamShield Helpline at 1799. The SPF recovered S$140.5 million in 2025, but recovery depends heavily on speed — the sooner you act, the better your chances. Banks can sometimes place holds on receiving accounts if notified within 24 hours.
How can I verify if a business or person is legitimate?
Use Scam.SG to check whether a business is registered with ACRA and whether it holds any relevant licences. For investment-related enquiries, check the MAS Financial Institution Directory and investor alert list at mas.gov.sg. For scam calls and SMSes, use the ScamShield app to verify suspicious numbers and messages. When in doubt, call the ScamShield Helpline at 1799.
Why are business professionals being specifically targeted?
Scammers target business professionals because they have the capacity to transfer large sums quickly. These targets often have prior interactions with government agencies — making a request from a "government official" seem plausible. The scammers research their targets and craft scenarios based on real government processes and current events, such as the situation at the Straits of Hormuz, to add credibility.