The Police have arrested a 26-year-old man for his suspected involvement in a series of rental scams.
Between 1 and 10 May 2023, the Police received several reports from victims who were purportedly cheated by an online seller, who had advertised a room for rental via Facebook. Upon receiving the payments via PayNow, the man became uncontactable and did not rent out the promised room.
Through investigations, officers from Ang Mo Kio Police Division established the identity of the man and arrested him on 11 May 2023. Preliminary investigations revealed that he is believed to be involved in at least five similar cases of rental scams.
The man will be charged in court on 13 May 2023 with the offence of cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code 1871. The offence of cheating carries an imprisonment term of up to 10 years and a fine.
The Police would like to advise members of the public to adopt the following precautionary measures to avoid falling prey to rental scams:
- Do not make any advance payment until the tenancy is confirmed, and pay the rental deposit and rents by cheque or via bank transfer for documentary proof;
- Visit the housing unit which you intend to rent to confirm its existence, the unit’s condition and potential signs of multiple subletting; and
- Verify the identities of the person/s whom you are dealing with and their relationship to the housing unit, especially when you are not engaging the services of a licensed estate agent or registered salespersons.
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
12 May 2023 @ 6:00 PM