The Police have arrested a 54-year-old man for his suspected involvement in several cases of cheating.
Between 8 December 2017 and 10 January 2018, the Police received several reports from victims who were cheated by an online seller who advertised the rental of a flat and staycation packages at Resort World Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands on Carousell. After payments were made by the victims via bank transfers, the suspect would become uncontactable.
Through extensive investigations, officers from Clementi Police Division established the identity of the suspect and arrested him along Lorong 40 Geylang on 14 February 2018.
The suspect will be charged in Court on 15 February 2018 with the offence of Cheating. Anyone found guilty of Cheating may be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 10 years, and shall also be liable to a fine.
Members of the public are advised to adopt the following crime prevention measures to avoid falling prey to online purchase scams:
- Do not share your PIN number, bank account number, One-Time Passwords, or SMS-verification codes with anyone;
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Before performing a transaction, find out how the online site safeguards your interest or can help you resolve disputes;
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Check the seller’s track record by reading reviews or contacting previous customers;
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Purchase tickets only from authorised sellers, and take note of the terms and conditions of the ticket sale;
- If advanced payments are required, use shopping platforms that provide arrangements to only release your payment to the seller upon your receipt of the item.
For scam-related advice, you may call the anti-scam helpline at 1800-722-6688 or go to www.scamalert.sg. Help spread the word and share this advisory with your family and friends to prevent them from being the next victim of scam.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
14 February 2018 @ 7:30 PM