The Police have arrested a 35-year-old man for his suspected involvement in a series of e-commerce scam involving sales of bearbrick figurines and fake online advertisements for sales of items such as chargers and power banks.
Between April and May 2022, the Police received multiple reports from victims who were purportedly cheated by an online seller who advertised the sale of toy figurines. After payments were made by the victims via bank transfers and PayNow, the seller allegedly failed to deliver the toy figurines.
Through follow-up investigations and close collaboration with Carousell, officers from the Commercial Affairs Department established the identity of the man and arrested him.
The man will be charged in court on 27 May 2022 with cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code 1871. The offence of cheating carries an imprisonment term that may extend to 10 years and a fine.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the man is believed to have scammed more than 15 victims of more than $5,600.
The Police take a serious view of persons who may be involved in scams and frauds, and perpetrators will be dealt with in accordance with the law. 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
26 May 2022 @ 11:52 AM