Bank Gremlin Stops a 150‑K Scam Before It Happens
Picture this: a flustered gentleman, hair doing a frantic flip, marches into UOB’s main Raffles Place branch with a gigantic cheque and a golden ticket—no, not a lottery ticket, but a $150,000 promissory note meant for an overseas account that isn’t his own. The moment the teller, Jenny Hong, noticed a mismatch between the account holder’s name and the number, her senses fired.
Jenny’s First Red Flag
“It was odd,” Ms Hong, 46, told the press, her eyebrows knitting together. “He was trying to deposit a huge sum into an account that didn’t belong to him.”
When she pressed the man—who looked older, in his 70s, with a quiet urgency—to explain why he needed to transfer the money abroad, his explanations began to crumble: “It’s for my girlfriend in the Netherlands. We met on Facebook. She promised a business deal and a commission.” The plot thickened.
Alison’s Intervention
With 27 years of experience under her belt, Ms Hong flagged the whole thing to the assistant branch manager, Alison Cheng. When Ms Cheng listened to the man’s yarn, she knew right away: “He was falling into an internet love scam.”
Alison spent the next 30 minutes walking the customer through common scam tropes. The moment the man realized he was about to be swindled, his tone changed from “I’m sure it’s love” to a resolute “No way, we’re not doing this.” The transaction was blocked, and the man filed a police report.
2025 Crime Pulse
Singapore’s police released mid‑year crime stats showing over $20 million siphoned off by online love scams in the first six months. The number of cases fell slightly from 546 last year to 477 this year—still hefty.
Bank’s Playbook
UOB’s Integrated Fraud Chief, Richard Soh, explained that branch staff are trained to spot red‑flagged transactions and intervene effectively. “We stop questionable transfers, guide customers to report scams to the police, and, most importantly,” he added, “we keep our customers safe.”
Orangemen in Academia
Professor Lawrence Loh of NUS scored this proactive stance as a “real–world policy in action.”
Key Takeaway: Every scam case has a ripple, even if it’s small. By cutting those ripples, Singapore’s image as a financial hub stays solid.
Bottom Line
Thanks to vigilant teller Jenny Hong and savvy manager Alison Cheng, a potential $150,000 scam was nipped in the bud. Branch staff, armed with knowledge and tools, can keep customers safe and the banking scene in Singapore bright and trustworthy.
