The Police have arrested a 30 year-old man for his suspected involvement in a series of e-commerce scams.
Between 20 and 23 July 2019, the Police received several reports from victims who were purportedly cheated by an online seller who was selling a used television on Carousell. The seller allegedly became uncontactable after payments were made to him via PayNow transfers.
Through investigations, officers from Bedok Police Division established the identity of the man and arrested him on 4 September 2020. He is believed to be involved in at least five cases of e-commerce scams amounting to about S$175.
Investigations against the man are ongoing. The offence of cheating, punishable under Section 420 of the Penal Code, Chapter 224, carries an imprisonment term of up to 10 years, and a fine.
The Police would 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 1800-255-0000or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
04 September 2020 @ 11:25 PM