The Police have arrested a 26-year-old man for his suspected involvement in a case of loanshark harassment and a series of e-commerce scams.
On 24 May 2020, the Police were alerted to a case of loanshark harassment at a residential unit along Tah Ching Road where paint was splashed at the door and writings on the walls. Through investigations and with the aid of images from police camera footages, officers from Jurong Police Division established the identity of the man and arrested him on 29 May 2020. Preliminary investigations revealed that the man is believed to be involved in similar cases reported island-wide.
The man is also believed to be involved in at least eight cases of e-commerce scams. Between 25 and 26 May 2020, the Police received several reports from victims who were purportedly cheated by an online seller who advertised iPhone11 on Carousell. After payments were made by the victims via bank transfer, the man became uncontactable. The victims reported total losses amounting to $6,350. The man is also investigated for breaching safe distancing measures under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020.
The man will be charged in court on 30 May 2020 with cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code, Chapter 224. The offence carries an imprisonment term of up to 10 years and a fine. For offences under the Moneylenders Act (Revised Edition 2010), first time offenders found guilty of loanshark harassment carries a fine of between $5,000 and $50,000, and mandatory imprisonment of up to 5 years and mandatory caning of up to 6 strokes.
The Police have zero tolerance for loanshark harassment activities. Those who deliberately vandalise properties, and cause annoyance and disruptions to public sense of safety, peace and security, will be arrested and dealt with severely in accordance with the law.
Members of the public are advised to stay away from loansharks and not to work with or assist the loansharks in any way. The public can call the Police at ‘999’ or the X-Ah Long hotline at 1800-924-5664 if they suspect or know of anyone who could be involved in loansharking activities.
The Police would also like to advise members of the public to take the following precautions when making online purchases:
- Bear in mind that the party you are dealing with online is a stranger. Before performing a transaction on an online shopping site, find out how the site safeguards your interest or can help you resolve disputes;
- Insist on cash on delivery especially if responding to online classified advertisements;
- If advance payments are required, use shopping platforms that provide arrangements to only release your payment to the seller upon your receipt of the item;
- Be mindful that although sellers may provide a copy of an identification card or driver’s licence to gain your trust, it may not necessarily belong to the person communicating with you online; and
- Note that scammers may use a local bank account to enhance credibility; however, the owner of the account may not be the person communicating with you online.
For more information on scams, members of the public can visit scamalert.sg or call the Anti-Scam Hotline at 1800-722-6688. Anyone with information on such scams may call the Police hotline at 1800-255 0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
30 May 2020 @ 12:00 AM