The Police have arrested an 18-year-old man for his suspected involvement in a series of e-commerce scams involving the sales of Sony PlayStation 5 consoles.
In December 2020, the Police received several reports from victims who were purportedly cheated by an online seller who was selling Sony PlayStation 5 consoles on Carousell. The victims did not receive the game consoles after payments were made to the seller via bank transfers.
Through follow-up investigations, officers from Clementi Police Division established the identity of the man and arrested him on 17 December 2020. 4 Police investigations are ongoing. The offence of cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code carries a jail 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:
- 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.
- 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 as this method does not offer any protection.
- 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 provide easy job opportunities online by offering commission in return for posting advertisements on your own social media account and using your local bank account to facilitate payment. Do not fall for it!
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
18 December 2020 @ 5:10 PM