Man convicted and jailed 46 months for donation scams

1. On 17 November 2025, 42-year-old Lim Kah Kheng (“Lim”), was convicted and sentenced to 46 months’ imprisonment for four counts of cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code 1871.

2. Another eight counts of cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code 1871 and three counts of theft in dwelling under Section 380 of the Penal Code 1871 were also taken into consideration for the purpose of sentencing.

3. On 24 June 2024, the Police received a report informing that there was a man going around, knocking on doors and asking for donations in the vicinity of Bedok North Street 3. Further investigations revealed that between 28 January 2020 and 24 June 2024, Lim orchestrated a donation scam by creating counterfeit staff passes and fraudulent documents. Under the guise of social entrepreneurship and charitable work, he recruited and misled seven individuals into believing they were participating in legitimate charitable activities, and ultimately deceived members of the public into making donations under false pretences.

4. Through follow-up investigations, officers from Bedok Police Division established the identity of the man and arrested him on the same day of receiving the report.

5. The scam operation, which targeted residential areas, affected more than 12,600 victims and collected fraudulent donations exceeding $106,000.

6. Any person who commits an offence under Section 420 of the Penal Code 1871 shall be liable on conviction to a fine and to imprisonment for a term which may extend to ten years. The Police and the office of the Commissioner of Charities would like to remind the public to stay vigilant against such donation scams.

7. Members of the public are advised to adopt these safer giving and crime prevention tips:

   1. When approached by fund-raisers, be discerning and do not feel pressured to donate immediately. Most fund-raising appeals are genuine, but it is always good to find out more about it first, and ensure your support is going to a trusted cause. Scammers often use real-world circumstances, such as during a crisis or disaster; or impersonate the names of familiar, trusted organisations to exploit people to donate.

   2. Always Ask and Check, before you Give. First, ask questions such as who the beneficiary is, how the donations will be used, and how much of the donation goes to the beneficiary. Next, verify the legitimacy of the fund-raising appeal by checking the Charity Portal (www.charities.gov.sg ↗ (opens in new tab)) if the fund-raiser is a registered charity in Singapore or is a valid foreign fund-raising permit holder.

   3. Never send money or give personal information, credit card details or online account details to anyone you do not know or trust.

   4. Do not feel pressured to give if you have concerns or suspect that an appeal for donations is not legitimate. If in doubt, donate directly through the organisation’s official website.

   5. Those who suspect a fraud or scam should file a Police report immediately. Suspicious charitable fund-raising activities should be reported to the COC at mccy_charities@mccy.gov.sg. More information can be found at go.gov.sg/safergiving ↗ (opens in new tab).

SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER OF CHARITIES
17 November 2025 @ 10:00 PM