The Police are investigating 34 persons for their suspected involvement in various online scams following an island-wide operation conducted between 22 and 24 June 2015. The 24 men and 10 women, aged between 16 and 75, are suspected to be involved in 88 cases of online scams involving more than S$165,000.
2 Some of the suspects are believed to have posed as online sellers of baby products or electronic gadgets, and did not deliver the products to buyers after receiving payment; while some others are believed to have been recruited from online job portals or social networking websites to become “Money Mules”. This is a term which describes those who have allowed their bank accounts to be used by criminal syndicates to receive and transfer money to and from unknown sources. In doing so, these Money Mules would have assisted in the commission of an offence.
3 The suspects will be investigated for the offence of Cheating which carries a punishment of imprisonment for up to 10 years and a fine, or money laundering offences under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act, which carry a punishment of imprisonment for up to 10 years and a fine of up to S$500,000.
4 Director of Commercial Affairs Department, Mr David Chew, said: “The online marketplace is a place with low barriers to entry and helps a diverse group of persons to buy and sell their products. It is also a platform which criminals use to cheat unsuspecting online shoppers. Online shoppers must exercise due diligence when engaging in such online transactions. Police take a serious view against those who intentionally use the online marketplace to commit crimes and will not hesitate to prosecute them. Account holders who are aware that their accounts are being used to transfer proceeds of crime will also be taken to task for money laundering.”
5 The investigations are part of Police’s ongoing enforcement efforts against commercial crimes. Although a majority of commercial crimes reported involve e-commerce cheating, Police have seen an influx of other variants of scams, such as the “Credits for Sex” scam. The perpetrators of the “Credits for Sex” scam target men willing to buy purchase cards or online shopping credits in exchange for a meet-up, date or the promise of sexual service.
6 Police would like to advise members of public to be vigilant when engaging in any form of online activity on social media applications or on online shopping platforms. To avoid becoming a victim of such scams:
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Be wary of strangers who befriend you online.
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Never give your bank and credit card details and personal information to anyone you do not know or have not checked out.
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If you are purchasing something, always check the track record of the party you are dealing with.
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Use reputable sites and payment platforms with established refund policies.
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Avoid making advance payments. If advance payments are necessary, insist on getting a contact number so that you may verify the beneficiary’s identity. Do be mindful that scammers may use a local bank account for the transaction to enhance their credibility. The owner of the bank account may not be the person communicating with you online.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
25 June 2015 @ 6:40 PM