Short answer: In a case police reported in October 2024, a message told a 63-year-old Johor woman to download "We Sing" and upload a singing video for a "gift". A man called "Jimmy" then threatened her with arrest over unpaid tax. She lost RM485,100 across 64 cash deposits. The app name was only the bait, and the money went to the scammers.
This guide rebuilds that case from mainstream Malaysian news reports dated 3 October 2024 and sets it beside WeSing's own published rules. It ends with the Malaysian government's official scam hotline and what to do in the first 24 hours. I re-read every source on 10 November 2026 (UTC+8). There are no figures from blogs, no "fund recovery" contacts, and nothing beyond what the police statement and official pages say.
The case in one table
| Detail | As reported | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Victim | A 63-year-old woman working as a beauty consultant | Malay Mail and Free Malaysia Today, both 3 October 2024 (Bernama) |
| Police district | Tangkak, Johor; statement by the Tangkak district police chief, Supt Roslan Mohd Talib | Malay Mail, 3 October 2024 |
| First contact | A message asking her to download the "We Sing" application and upload a singing video "to get a reward in the form of a 'gift'" | Malay Mail, 3 October 2024 |
| Second stage | A man calling himself "Jimmy" said the app's owner had been arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) | Malay Mail; FMT names the agency SPRM, the Malay acronym for MACC |
| The threat | "Jimmy" said she owed nearly RM200,000 in personal income tax and could be arrested by MACC at any time | Malay Mail and FMT, 3 October 2024 |
| Payments | 64 transactions through cash deposit machines (CDM) into 19 accounts | Malay Mail and FMT, 3 October 2024 |
| Total lost | RM485,100 | Malay Mail and FMT, 3 October 2024 |
| Period | 10 July to 30 September 2024 | Malay Mail and FMT, 3 October 2024 |
| How it ended | She realised she'd been cheated after telling her son, then made a police report | Malay Mail and FMT, 3 October 2024 |
| Offence | Investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code (cheating) | Malay Mail and FMT, 3 October 2024 |
Full reports: Malay Mail, "Johor beauty consultant loses over RM480,000 in online job scam after 'threats' of MACC arrest linked to 'We Sing' app" (first published 3 October 2024, 5:12 PM MYT), and Free Malaysia Today, "Warga emas rugi lebih RM485,000 terpedaya 'job scam'" (3 October 2024, 3:45 PM). Both credit the national news agency Bernama, and both call it a "job scam".
What a third report adds
A third outlet, Utusan Malaysia, "Wanita rugi lebih RM485,000 ditipu 'Mr. Jimmy'" (published 3 October 2024, 1:03 PM UTC+8), quotes the same Tangkak police statement with three useful details:
- How first contact arrived. Utusan says the victim received a "pesanan ringkas", a short text message, from an individual telling her to install the We Sing app.
- The penalty the suspects face. Utusan notes that Section 420 of the Penal Code carries a minimum of one year and a maximum of 10 years in prison, with whipping, and a fine on conviction.
- The police chief's advice. Supt Roslan urged the public not to trust online offers easily, and to follow the latest commercial-crime methods on the social media accounts of the Commercial Crime Investigation Department (Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah Komersial): Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
Utusan also calls the caller "Mr. Jimmy" and says the 64 transfers went to him "menerusi mesin ATM" (through ATM machines). Malay Mail and FMT specify cash deposit machines. All three agree on the 19 accounts and the 10 July to 30 September window.
The numbers, broken down
The reports give only the totals. The figures below are my own arithmetic on those reported numbers, to show how a scam like this keeps going for weeks:
| Measure | Calculation from reported figures | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Length of the payment period | 10 July to 30 September 2024, inclusive | 83 days (just under 12 weeks) |
| Average per transaction | RM485,100 ÷ 64 | About RM7,580 |
| Average received per mule account | RM485,100 ÷ 19 | About RM25,530 |
| Average transactions per week | 64 ÷ (83 ÷ 7) | About 5.4 |
| Claimed "tax debt" vs. amount actually paid | RM485,100 ÷ RM200,000 | About 2.4 times the supposed debt |
The last row is the one to show anyone who's been told they "owe" money. In the reported case, the victim paid well over twice the debt the scammer had invented. Paying never closes a scam like this. Each payment just shows the scammer you can pay more.
Why a karaoke app makes a good bait
The police statement doesn't say why the scammers picked a singing app, and I won't guess at their reasons. What's on the record is the shape of the first message. Download a real, well-known app, do something harmless and fun in it, and get a reward. That first step costs the victim nothing and happens inside a genuine app, so it can feel safe.
The real risk begins when the conversation moves away from the app. Look at where each stage happened in this case:
| Stage | Where it happened | Money involved |
|---|---|---|
| 1. "Upload a singing video, get a gift" | Message, then inside the app | None |
| 2. "The app's owner was arrested by MACC" | Contact from "Jimmy" outside the app | None yet |
| 3. "You owe nearly RM200,000 in tax" | Contact from "Jimmy" | Pressure starts |
| 4. Payments to "settle" the problem | Cash deposit machines, 19 different accounts | RM485,100 over about 12 weeks |
Not one ringgit moved through the karaoke app. Every payment went through bank cash deposit machines into accounts the scammers controlled. That's why "this app pays you to sing" messages are dangerous even when the app is real.
The red flags, matched to the case
| Red flag | How it appeared in the October 2024 case |
|---|---|
| An unsolicited message offering money or gifts for a simple task | "Upload a singing video to get a reward in the form of a 'gift'" |
| A second person enters the story with bad news | "Jimmy" says the app's owner has been arrested |
| A government agency is used as a threat | MACC/SPRM arrest "at any time" |
| A large, frightening sum you supposedly owe | Nearly RM200,000 in personal income tax |
| Payment by cash deposit into personal or company accounts | 64 CDM transactions into 19 accounts |
| Secrecy | The scam ended only when the victim told her son |
The last row is worth acting on. In the reported case, talking to one family member was what broke the scam. If a message about "gifts", taxes or arrest makes you want to keep it secret, that's the moment to tell someone.
What WeSing's own rules say about this behaviour
WeSing (the international karaoke app from Tencent Music Entertainment) publishes a WESING Community Convention. The page says it was "updated as of 25th February 2020", and I checked it on 10 November 2026. It covers "Party room, live streaming content, video content, audio content, image content and user behavior" on the platform. Three of its rules line up with the tactics in this scam.
Class A: "illegal selling of Coins" means a permanent ban
Under "Convention for Class A Behavior and Content", the Convention says that once listed content is found, "your account will be banned forever". The "Other Behavior or Content" list includes:
- "Promotion of vicious advertisements, such as: hacking, illegal selling of Coins and similar acts".
- "Making and spreading rumors that could cause public panic".
So anyone promoting hacks or selling WeSing coins illegally inside the app is, by WeSing's rules, committing a Class A violation. A "pay to unlock your gift" or "buy cheap coins from me" pitch inside WeSing falls under it.
Class B: impersonating WeSing staff
Class B violations come with a table of penalties for the first, second and third detection. Two rows matter here:
| Behaviour (Convention wording) | Detected once | Detected twice | Detected 3rd time |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Impersonate others (Platform users, artists or Platform official) or cheat, deceive other users in name of fake identity" | Ban one month | Ban account forever; "if the content is serious, will report to police" | — |
| "Promotional advertising, contact information, QR code, URL, etc." | Ban one day | Ban one week | Ban one month |
The first row covers the "Jimmy" type of character when someone runs that act inside the app: posing as WeSing staff or as someone connected to the "owner". The second row covers the usual way people get moved off the app, by posting a phone number, QR code or link in comments, rooms or messages.
Other Convention rows that apply off-script
Scammers don't always follow the "Jimmy" script exactly, so two more Class B rows in the same table are worth knowing. Both carry a one-day ban, then one week, then one month:
- "Use private message or maliciously abusive other users". This covers pressure campaigns run through WeSing's private messages.
- "Disrupt social order, such as reporting fake cases to police, hoax, etc." This covers hoax claims about arrests or police cases spread on the platform.
The Convention also says in its opening clauses that content breaking it "will be promptly removed as soon as it is detected". It applies to "any and all Behavior and Content", including user behaviour, not only to what's posted publicly.
Where to raise a WeSing problem
The Convention gives one mailbox for "doubts or disputes": wesingmedia@gmail.com. The WeSing Google Play listing (app updated 23 October 2026, checked 10 November 2026) gives the same address under "Any questions? Please contact us at wesingmedia@gmail.com". It also lists the official social accounts: Facebook @OfficialWeSing, Twitter @WesingApp and Instagram @wesingapp.
Use these channels to report a fake WeSing account. Don't wait for an answer there if money is already leaving your bank. That needs the national hotline in the next section.
If you or a family member is caught up in a scam like this
Call 997 first
Malaysia's official government portal page NSRC 997 Hotline (updated 31 July 2026) describes the National Scam Response Centre as a rapid-response centre for online financial scams. Bank Negara Malaysia and the Royal Malaysia Police are among the agencies involved. Its instructions:
- Report the incident by calling 997 "within 24 hours of discovering that you have been scammed", so authorities can block bank accounts and transactions and help recover funds.
- Contact the relevant bank.
- Lodge a police report at the nearest police station.
The page lists the hotline as running "Daily (24 hours)". Among the scam types it accepts are "Bank or government agency impersonation scams" and "Scam calls impersonating government enforcement officers". The fake MACC arrest and tax threat in the "We Sing" case fit those categories.
Why speed matters
At the launch of the NSRC's new premises, reported by Malay Mail on 3 March 2026, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said: "The faster the victim calls 997, the faster Bank Negara Malaysia can block the stolen funds." In the same report, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution said:
- the NSRC recorded 146,147 complaint calls in 2025, leading to 138 freezing actions and RM34.53 million kept out of scam syndicates' hands, and
- scammers have emptied 80 to 90 per cent of an account within three to 10 minutes using mule accounts.
The same report notes that Penal Code amendments now make it an offence for people to allow their bank accounts to be used by scammers. Never let a "job" contact use your account to "receive gift money" for them.
A short script for a worried parent
In the 2024 case the victim was 63, and her son is the one who spotted the scam. If you're helping an older relative, these questions follow the red flags above:
- "Did someone you don't know message you about getting paid or getting gifts for using an app?"
- "Has anyone said you owe tax, or that an agency like MACC or the police will arrest you?"
- "Have you deposited cash at a machine for someone you've never met?"
- "Did they tell you not to tell anyone?"
A "yes" to any of them means calling 997 and the bank straight away, as the government portal instructs.
A one-minute check before acting on any "paid to sing" message
Every step below comes from one of the sources in this guide. Run through them before replying, installing anything or moving money:
- Who sent it? In the 2024 case, first contact was an unsolicited text message (Utusan, 3 October 2024). WeSing's official channels on its Google Play listing are the app, wesingmedia@gmail.com, Facebook @OfficialWeSing, Twitter @WesingApp and Instagram @wesingapp. A random number or a stranger's chat account isn't one of them.
- Does it move you off the app? WeSing's Convention punishes posting "contact information, QR code, URL" inside the app. A message whose whole purpose is getting you onto WhatsApp, Telegram or a phone call is doing exactly what the platform bans.
- Does it name an enforcement agency? The fake MACC/SPRM arrest threat was the turning point in the reported case. The government portal lists "Scam calls impersonating government enforcement officers" as a scam type for 997 to handle.
- Is money supposed to go to a personal account or a cash deposit machine? All 64 payments in the case went by cash deposit or ATM into 19 accounts (Malay Mail, FMT and Utusan, 3 October 2024).
- Are you being told to keep quiet? The victim found out only after telling her son. Tell someone before you pay anything.
If any answer worries you, the government portal's order is call 997, then the bank, then a police report. Waiting can cost you. Malay Mail's 3 March 2026 report quotes the Home Minister saying scammers have drained 80 to 90 per cent of an account within three to 10 minutes.
Side issue: "copyright" and "not available in your region" messages
Store reviews show a separate, real WeSing frustration that has nothing to do with scams. It's still worth knowing so that nobody "selling a fix" can use it against you.
| Review | Date | What the user reported |
|---|---|---|
| Apple App Store (Malaysia), user j.l.9898 | 13 April 2025 | Songs that could be sung before "suddenly show up as 'off the shelf according to the requirement of the owner'", and new songs had stopped arriving |
| Google Play, user Skelety | 27 July 2026 | Most wanted songs aren't shown; the app "ALWAYS says 'Copyright' or something like 'It's not available in your region'" even though friends in the same region can sing them |
| Google Play, user Queenie Catubig | 16 September 2026 | Songs she could sing before are now blocked "because of the copyright issue", naming Ailee's songs, and the scoring feature had disappeared |
The wording users quote, "off the shelf according to the requirement of the owner", is how the app itself explains a removal: the rights owner asked for it. The Google Play listing describes the catalogue as "over 6 million songs" but promises no particular song in any particular country.
What matters for this guide: if a song is blocked, it's a licensing notice inside the app, not a payment problem or a prize waiting to be "unlocked". Anyone who comments with a link, phone number or QR code offering to sort it out privately is doing what the Convention's Class B table punishes ("Promotional advertising, contact information, QR code, URL").
Spending on WeSing safely
The scam in this guide never involved WeSing coins. Still, the rule that protects you is the same one: money should only move inside the app's own purchase flow or through a storefront you chose yourself, never through a stranger. WeSing's Convention treats "illegal selling of Coins" as a Class A, ban-forever behaviour. If you do top up outside the app, use a store that only asks for your WeSing account ID, such as the WeSing coins page on Buffget. Never use someone who reached out to you first.
App facts as of 10 November 2026: on the Malaysian App Store, "WeSing! Your Pocket Karaoke" is published by Tencent Music Entertainment Hong Kong Limited. Version 6.3.1 was released on 2 November 2026 (UTC+8), rated 4+, and its release notes describe swiping to discover more KTV rooms. The Google Play version was last updated on 23 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Was WeSing itself involved in the RM485,100 scam?
The police statement, as reported by Malay Mail and FMT on 3 October 2024, describes the app only as the first step: the victim was told to download "We Sing" and upload a singing video. The threats came from "Jimmy" and the money went by cash deposit machine to 19 accounts. Neither report says the app's operator received any of the money.
Does WeSing pay people for uploading singing videos through SMS offers?
WeSing's official channels listed on its Google Play page are the app, wesingmedia@gmail.com and its Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts. An unsolicited text promising a "gift" for uploading a song matches the opening of the scam police reported in October 2024.
What does WeSing do to accounts that impersonate staff?
Its Community Convention (updated 25 February 2020) lists impersonating "Platform users, artists or Platform official" as a Class B violation: a one-month ban the first time and a permanent ban the second, with a police report "if the content is serious".
Is selling WeSing coins allowed?
The Convention lists "illegal selling of Coins" among Class A behaviours, which carry a permanent ban.
Who do I call in Malaysia if I've been scammed?
The National Scam Response Centre hotline, 997, which the government portal (updated 31 July 2026) lists as running 24 hours a day. Call within 24 hours of discovering the scam, then contact your bank and make a police report.
Why does WeSing say a song is "not available in your region"?
Users quoting the app on the App Store (13 April 2025) and Google Play (27 July and 16 September 2026) describe copyright and owner-request notices. The app explains removals as being "according to the requirement of the owner", meaning licensing, not something you can pay a stranger to undo.
Sources (checked 10 November 2026, UTC+8)
- Malay Mail (Bernama), 3 October 2024 — https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/10/03/johor-beauty-consultant-loses-over-rm480000-in-online-job-scam-after-threats-of-macc-arrest-linked-to-we-sing-app/152483
- Utusan Malaysia, 3 October 2024 — https://www.utusan.com.my/berita/2024/10/wanita-rugi-lebih-rm485000-ditipu-mr-jimmy/
- Free Malaysia Today (Bernama), 3 October 2024 — https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/bahasa/tempatan/2024/10/03/warga-emas-rugi-lebih-rm485000-terpedaya-job-scam
- WESING Community Convention, updated 25 February 2020 — https://www.wesingapp.com/wesing_community_convention?hippy=wesing_community_convention
- Malaysia government portal, NSRC 997 Hotline, updated 31 July 2026 — https://www.malaysia.gov.my/en/topics/nsrc-997-hotline
- Malay Mail, 3 March 2026 — https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/03/03/call-997-right-away-if-you-suspect-a-scam-fahmi-tells-malaysians/211156
- WeSing on Google Play (com.tencent.wesing), updated 23 October 2026; reviews dated 27 July 2026 and 16 September 2026
- WeSing on the Malaysian App Store (id1163688749), version 6.3.1 released 2026-11-02T02:14:48Z; review dated 13 April 2025