The Police have arrested a 19-year-old man for his suspected involvement in using a found credit card to make unauthorised transactions.
On 11 March 2020, the Police received a report from a victim who discovered that several unauthorised purchases had been made with his missing credit card.
Through investigations, officers from the Commercial Affairs Department established the identity of the man and arrested him on 25 March 2020. Preliminary investigations revealed that the man is believed to have found the victim’s credit card and used it to make unauthorised transactions for retail and online purchases amounting to more than $1,000. Case exhibits such as an assortment of stored value cards, apparels, a pair of shoes and a computer accessory, which are believed to have been topped up and purchased using the victim’s credit card, were seized.
The man will be charged in court on 27 March 2020. The offence of dishonest misappropriation of property carries an imprisonment term which may extend to 2 years, or a fine, or both. The offence of cheating carries an imprisonment term which may extend to 10 years and a fine. The offence of unauthorised access to computer materials carries an imprisonment term which may extend to 2 years, or a fine of up to $5,000 or both.
The Police would like to remind members of the public that the unauthorised use of another person’s credit/debit card is a serious offence.
The Police would like to advise all credit/debit card holders to call their card-issuing banks immediately if their credit/debit cards are lost or stolen, and to adopt the following measures to prevent unauthorised use of their cards:
- Opt for an SMS notification to be sent to your mobile phone for any charges incurred on your credit/ debit card; and
- Check bank statements and alert the bank immediately should there be any discrepancies or fraudulent charges.
The Police would also like to remind merchants and sales staff to exercise vigilance and adopt correct card acceptance procedures when processing credit/debit card transactions. They should look out for the various security features on the card face. If they detect anything suspicious, they should contact their processing bank immediately for advice.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
26 March 2020 @ 5:00 PM