A Singapore man was sentenced to 46 months after being convicted of cheating people through a donation scam. Lim Kah Kheng, 42, was convicted on 17 November 2025 on four counts of cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code 1871. The scam involved counterfeit staff passes and fraudulent documents, which he used while presenting the activities as social entrepreneurship and charitable work.He recruited seven people and misled them into believing they were taking part in legitimate charitable activities, before deceiving members of the public. According to a joint media release by the Singapore Police Force and the Office of the Commissioner of Charities (2025), the operation affected more than 12,600 victims and collected fraudulent donations exceeding $106,000.
How was Lim Kah Kheng convicted in the Singapore donation scam
Lim was convicted on 17 November 2025 and sentenced to 46 months’ imprisonment. The 42-year-old was convicted and sentenced to 46 months’ imprisonment for four counts of cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code 1871. Eight other counts of cheating under Section 420 and three counts of theft in a dwelling under Section 380 of the Penal Code 1871 were also taken into consideration for sentencing.The operation also targeted residential areas. The investigation began after the Police received a report about a man asking residents for donations near Bedok North Street 3 on 24 June 2024. The Police received a report that a man was knocking on doors and asking for donations in the vicinity of Bedok North Street 3.
Fake staff passes helped Lim Kah Kheng deceive 12,600 people
Investigations found that Lim orchestrated the scam between 28 January 2020 and 24 June 2024. He created counterfeit staff passes and fraudulent documents to support the operation. He presented the activities as social entrepreneurship and charitable work. Lim recruited seven individuals and misled them into believing they were participating in legitimate charitable activities.He then deceived members of the public into making donations under false pretences. The operation targeted residential areas, that affected more than 12,600 victims and collecting fraudulent donations exceeding $106,000.
Singapore authorities issue safety advice to prevent donation scams
The Police and the Office of the Commissioner of Charities urged the public to remain careful when approached by fund-raisers.
- People should ask who will receive the donations, how the money will be used, and how much will reach the intended beneficiary.
- Check the Charity Portal to confirm whether a fund-raiser is a registered charity in Singapore or holds a valid foreign fund-raising permit.
- The authorities also advised people not to share personal information, credit card details or online account details with anyone they do not know or trust.
- Anyone unsure about an appeal should avoid donating under pressure and can give directly through the organisation’s official website.
- Suspected scams should be reported to the Police.
How does Singapore law deal with cheating and theft
Under Section 420 of Singapore’s Penal Code 1871, anyone convicted of cheating can face a fine and imprisonment for up to 10 years. Lim’s case involved four cheating charges that resulted in a 46-month prison sentence. Another eight cheating charges under the same section and three theft-in-dwelling charges under Section 380 were considered during sentencing.
