A man who sold his wife’s Singpass account to criminals for the promise of S$1,000 (US$768) has been sentenced to 18 months’ jail under stiffer sentencing recommendations put forward last month.
Abdul Sarhan Abdul Roni, a 43-year-old Singaporean, was found guilty of disclosing his wife’s Singpass details for wrongful gain, resulting in a 76-year-old victim losing S$397,995. This was funnelled through a new bank account set up using the sold Singpass details.
“I note that all the aggravating factors listed in the guidelines apply in your case,” said Principal District Judge Jill Tan, in an oral judgment made available on Wednesday (Sep 11).
In August 2023, Abdul Sarhan’s wife, who was in jail at the time, requested the authorities to send her mobile phone to her home, intending for Abdul Sarhan to use her phone to make withdrawals from her bank account via a phone application. Abdul Sarhan, however, tried to access his wife’s account after receiving the phone but could not do so as he did not have her login credentials.
He then chanced upon an advertisement for fast cash on Telegram, leading to the encounter where he sold his wife’s Singpass account details. After giving the details to a stranger and receiving no payment as promised, a Standard Chartered Bank account was opened using the information, and the 76-year-old man was cheated of S$397,995.
“As your fundamental act was to disclose Singpass information to scammers and you were not the one who perpetrated the scam or stole the money, the more than doubling of your sentence, is in my view, excessive,” Judge Tan said, while applying a 30 per cent sentencing discount for Abdul Sarhan pleading guilty early.
The abuse of Singpass and internet banking access information must be looked upon sternly, in view of the general prevalence of online scams, said Judge Tan, with a concerned reminder that repeat convictions can lead to up to five years’ jail, double the maximum fine, or both.
“Offenders who provide scammers with such information and grant them access to the banking system to perpetrate these scams must have deterrent sentences imposed on them so that this gateway can be narrowed, if not closed,” she said.
These penalties were imposed under stiffer sentencing guidelines issued in 2022, which recommended at least six months’ jail for people who allow their Singpass credentials or bank accounts to be used in facilitating scams, with a minimum sentence of at least 12 months’ jail for the offence of disclosing another person’s Singpass credentials due to the significant funds involved. The guidelines also propose upward adjustments for offenders motivated by personal gain and situations where the scam victim is vulnerable, among other factors.
