The Police have arrested a 20 year-old man for his suspected involvement in a series of e-commerce scams.
Between 14 and 22 September 2020, the Police received several reports from victims who were purportedly cheated by an online seller who was selling trading cards on Facebook. After payments were made by the victims via PayNow, the seller became uncontactable.
Through investigations, officers from Bedok Police Division established the identity of the man and arrested him on 30 September 2020. Preliminary investigations revealed that the man is believed to have cheated at least 13 victims of more than $3,300.
The man will be charged in court on 2 October 2020 with cheating under section 420 of the Penal Code. The offence of cheating carries a jail term of up to 10 years and a fine.
The Police would like to advise members of the public to be very careful when making online purchases:
- Opt for buyer protection by using in-built payment options that release payment to the seller only upon delivery. Whenever possible, avoid making advance payments or direct bank transfers to the seller.
- Scammers may entice buyers to contact them directly through messaging platforms such as WhatsApp or WeChat by offering a better or faster deal if bank transfer payments are made directly to them. They may also use a local bank account or provide a copy of a NRIC/driver’s licence to make you believe that they are genuine sellers. Do not fall for it!
- If the price is too good to be true, it probably is. Purchase only from authorised sellers or reputable sources, especially for high-value items.
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
01 October 2020 @ 6:25 PM