SINGAPORE – A man paid nearly $19 for counterfeit Singapore dollar bills in mixed denominations that he bought online.
Muhammad Fairuz Surian then used a combination of genuine Singapore dollar notes and fake ones to buy two packets of cigarettes from a shop in Bukit Batok.
Separately, he also allowed others to unlawfully access two of his bank accounts, and nearly $174,000 later flow through them. Court documents did not disclose the sources of the money.
Fairuz received a $100 reward after he shared his banking details with an unknown person whom he had met on messaging platform Telegram.
On March 10, the 26-year-old Singaporean was sentenced to two years and seven months’ jail, and a fine of $100.
He had pleaded guilty to two counts each of misusing a computer system and making use of counterfeit money to shop.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Theong Li Han told the court that in late June 2024, Fairuz went on an online shopping portal and searched for “USD dollar note”.
He then made a purchase from a listing for “Singapore toy money” that was displayed, and the goods were delivered to his home on July 1, 2024. Court documents did not state how much fake money he received.
DPP Theong said: “The accused opened the package and counted numerous pieces of notes appearing to be Singapore dollars of mixed denominations.
“The accused took some of the notes and kept them in his wallet. The accused knew that the notes were counterfeit bank notes and intended to use them.”
Later that day, he went to a Bukit Batok shop to buy a packet of cigarettes that cost $16.40.
Fairuz then handed a counterfeit $10 note and a genuine one to the cashier, who handed him $3.60 as change.
The cashier later realised that one of the notes was counterfeit, and reported the matter to her supervisor. The fake note was placed aside.
Five days later, Fairuz returned to the same shop and used a similar method to buy a packet of cigarettes worth $12.90. The same cashier attended to him.
Upon separating the money he had given her, the woman noticed that only one of the $10 notes was genuine. She alerted her supervisor, who called for the police.
Officers who arrived at the scene seized the two counterfeit notes.
Fairuz was later arrested, and police uncovered more counterfeit money when they searched his home.
In an unrelated case, Fairuz got to know an unknown person on Telegram in March 2023.
This individual claimed to be a job agent and promised to give Fairuz $500 if he allowed others to make use of his bank accounts.
Fairuz then shared his internet banking details with the Telegram user and more than $47,000 later flowed through it.
Fairuz also opened an account with another bank and shared details linked it with the same Telegram user.
The court heard that over $126,000 flowed through this second account soon after.
Fairuz was later charged in court in 2024.
* Shaffiq Alkhatib is The Straits Times’ court correspondent, covering mainly criminal cases heard at the State Courts.
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