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A couple from China, who approached strangers outside MRT stations in Singapore and scammed them of their money, have been given jail time.
Claiming to be penniless and unable to withdraw cash from their ATM cards, Ma Yongwang, 31, and his wife, Liu Yaxue, 30, tricked unsuspecting strangers into buying them meals before swindling them of their money, according to Shin Min Daily News.
Travelled to Singapore specifically to commit fraud
The Chinese couple had allegedly travelled to Singapore with the specific aim of carrying out their fraudulent activities, even going to the extent of fabricating bank transfer records to deceive victims.
Both Ma and Liu each pleaded guilty to one charge of committing fraud by false representations.
The judge took four additional charges against Ma, and two additional charges against Liu, into consideration during sentencing.
Asked victim for a free meal before scamming him
The pair entered Singapore on Sep. 2, 2025, with a departure date scheduled for Sep. 5, 2025, and stayed at a hotel in Geylang during their time here.
One victim was a Malaysian man, 23, who was working in Singapore.
The couple approached the victim on Sep. 3 at around 5pm near Joo Koon MRT Station before striking up a conversation with him.
Ma used a pseudonym, claiming that he and his wife were from Hong Kong.
He told the victim that they had no cash and their ATM cards could not be used to withdraw cash, asking the victim if he could treat them to a meal.
The victim agreed and took them to a food court.
During the meal, Ma claimed that he urgently needed S$800 to pay for the hotel room, but his card would only be usable the following day.
He asked if he could borrow the money, promising to transfer HK$5,500 (approximately S$917) as repayment.
The victim agreed to help.
Ma requested the victim's bank account details, then forged a transfer screenshot and showed it to the victim.
Later, when the victim discovered that the funds had not been credited, Ma deflected the issue by claiming that there were processing delays.
Used fake gold ring as "collateral"
The couple also handed the victim a fake gold ring as "collateral", falsely claiming that it was their wadding ring.
They said they would retrieve the ring after the transfer was completed.
Ma also stated that the ring's value was approximately S$3,760.
The victim, convinced of the arrangement, withdrew HK$800 in cash from a nearby ATM and handed it to Ma.
The victim later failed to receive the transfer and took the ring to a pawnshop for appraisal, only to discover it was counterfeit.
Upon returning home and checking the bank statement, the victim found no record of the transfer and reported the matter to the police the following day.
Police arrested both Ma and Liu on Sep. 5.
Seven additional counterfeit gold rings from the couple's luggage were seized.
The duo admitted to bringing the rings from China and intended to commit more fraud using the same method.
Submitted handwritten apology
The prosecution argued that Ma and Liu had treated Singapore like a "hunting ground" and their actions were premeditated and meticulous, and that the sentence should carry a strong deterrent effect to others with similar intentions.
The couple pleaded for leniency, stating that they had deeply reflected on their actions and hoped for a lighter sentence.
Liu submitted a handwritten apology, saying that it was her first overseas trip and expressed shame for her actions and wasting public resources.
In her letter, she apologised to the victim, acknowledging that she had exploited his goodwill.
The judge sentenced Ma to 11 months' jail, while Liu got nine months' imprisonment.
Image via Shin Min Daily News, SMRT
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