Singapore Businessman Loses S$4.9 Million in Deepfake Zoom Call with 'PM Lawrence Wong'
Scammers used AI deepfake video to impersonate PM Wong, President Tharman, Minister Indranee, and MAS officials in a fake Zoom call. The victim transferred S$4.9 million. SPF has released footage and is warning all Singapore residents, including Filipinos, about this escalating scam.
By FIS Editorial··5 min read
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A Singapore businessman has been scammed out of S$4.9 million after attending a fake Zoom meeting featuring a deepfake AI version of Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, along with deepfaked versions of the President, a Cabinet Minister, and senior officials from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).
The Singapore Police Force (SPF) has now released portions of the deepfake footage publicly to alert other potential victims, and the warning applies to every adult in Singapore, including the Filipino community.
The victim received a WhatsApp message from someone claiming to be Wong Hong Kuan, Secretary to the Cabinet, instructing him to attend an urgent meeting with the Prime Minister.
Step 2: Email with a forged official letter
He was sent an email from a fraudulent address containing what appeared to be an official letter of guarantee, complete with a forged signature of PM Wong, requesting urgent funding assistance related to the situation at the Strait of Hormuz, the Middle East shipping chokepoint currently disrupted by the Iran War.
Step 3: The deepfake Zoom call
The victim joined a Zoom video conference and saw what he believed were:
PM Lawrence Wong
President Tharman Shanmugaratnam
Minister Indranee Rajah
Senior representatives from MAS
Every face, voice, and behaviour on screen was AI-generated deepfake content, sophisticated enough to fool an experienced business professional.
Step 4: The transfer
Convinced he had been entrusted with a confidential national-priority matter, the victim transferred S$4.9 million across multiple instalments to a corporate bank account provided by the scammers.
Step 5: Realisation, too late
He only realised he had been duped when something felt off and he contacted the real Wong Hong Kuan through verified channels. By then, the funds had moved.
Why this matters for Filipinos in Singapore
This particular victim was a high-net-worth individual targeted with a tailored scam. But the same playbook, WhatsApp introduction + official-looking email + deepfake video confirmation, can be scaled down for ordinary kababayan:
A "DMW official" calling about an OFW deployment irregularity, with a deepfake "DMW director" on Zoom asking for processing fees.
A "Philippine Embassy" deepfake video instructing you to transfer funds for "consular emergency assistance."
A "BPI / BDO / Wise" deepfake employee on a Zoom call requesting "fraud verification" deposits.
A "MOM officer" deepfake video threatening cancellation of your EP unless you transfer money to a "safe account."
The technology that fooled a sophisticated businessman with S$4.9 million can fool any of us with S$5,000, the only difference is scale.
How to protect yourself
1. Treat any video call as unverified identity until you confirm independently
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A real official on a real call will not object to you saying *"Let me verify this through your published number. I'll call you back."* Hang up. Find the agency's official number on their website. Call back.
2. No real government agency requests funds via WhatsApp or Zoom
Singapore Police, ICA, MOM, MAS, IRAS, none of them will ever ask for fund transfers through messaging apps or video calls. Philippine Embassy, DMW, OWWA, PhilHealth, same rule. If anyone in an "official" capacity asks you to transfer money, it is a scam.
3. Slow down when "urgency" and "confidentiality" appear together
*"You cannot tell anyone, this is national security."*
*"We must transfer the funds within the hour."*
*"Your account will be frozen if you don't act now."*
These three phrases are the classic high-value scam signature. Real urgent matters do not arrive through WhatsApp.
4. Be specifically wary of unexpected Zoom invitations
Even if the invitation appears to come from someone you know, verify through a separate channel, a phone call to a number you already have saved, before joining. Once you are on a deepfake call, your visual brain will believe what it sees. The protective layer must happen before you accept.
5. Family discussion
Talk to family members, spouse, parents, siblings, about this scam pattern. Older relatives and very busy executives are the highest-risk targets. Agree on a household rule: no large transfer happens without a 24-hour pause and a verification call.
What to do if you have been contacted
Hang up. Do not transfer funds.
Report to the SPF anti-scam hotline at 1800-722-6688.
Job-Task Scams, at least 215 cases since October 2025, S$10.6 million lost.
Deepfake technology has lowered the cost of producing convincing impersonations to near-zero. Expect this technique to spread rapidly across all major scam categories over 2026.
Last reviewed 17 May 2026. Details based on SPF public advisory and credible press coverage as of that date. The victim is unnamed in our coverage by editorial choice. Not legal or financial advice, if you suspect you have been targeted or scammed, contact SPF immediately at 1800-722-6688.
Hero image: editorial scene-setter generated via Pollinations.ai Flux model. Symbolic editorial imagery, not actual footage of the deepfake call.
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#News#Scams#Deepfake#AI#Singapore Police#SPF#Lawrence Wong#Filipinos in Singapore
