The Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) of the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and the Polda Metro Jaya (PMJ) of the Indonesian National Police (INP) launched a joint investigation against a transnational online credit card fraud syndicate believed to be operating from Indonesia and had used stolen credit card details to make a series of fraudulent online purchases of flight tickets from a Singapore website.
Following extensive joint investigations and operations between CAD and PMJ, four men, aged between 19 and 29, were arrested by PMJ officers between 29 November and 5 December 2018 for their suspected involvement in several cases of online credit card fraud in Indonesia. In Singapore, a 35-year-old woman is assisting with investigations as she is believed to have aided one of the suspects in the fraudulent online purchases of flight tickets. Several telecommunication devices, laptops and an assortment of documents were seized in the joint investigation.
The suspects are believed to be responsible for at least 40 counts of fraudulent online purchases of flight tickets reported in Singapore in May 2018. The total amount involved in the fraudulent online purchases is about S$100,000. Preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects are involved in similar fraudulent online purchases of flight tickets since 2017.
Director CAD, Mr David Chew said, “The transnational fraudsters involved have targeted the online merchants in both Singapore and Indonesia and carried out illicit activities on the internet with stolen credit card details. The SPF will continue to collaborate closely with our counterparts to eradicate these transnational syndicates who attempt to use territorial boundaries and the anonymity of the internet to commit crimes. I would like to thank INP for their strong support and commitment in the fight against online credit card fraud.”
Anyone who is convicted of abetment by conspiracy to cheat under Section 420 read with Section 109 of the Penal Code, Chapter 224, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 10 years and shall also be liable to a fine.
The Police would like to advise all debit and credit card holders to safeguard their card details and not to disclose sensitive banking information to anyone. They are also advised to be prudent when making online payments using their card details and to visit reliable websites for online shopping.
Superintendent of Police Steven Tan (third from left) with officers from Polda Metro Jaya of the Indonesian National Police and Commercial Affairs Department of the Singapore Police Force
Deputy Superintendent of Police Naguib Ahyar (seated first from left) and Superintendent of Police Steven Tan (seated second from left) with officers from Polda Metro Jaya of the Indonesian National Police at the joint press conference held in Indonesia on 10 December 2018
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
12 December 2018 @ 11:45 AM