The Police have arrested a 22-year-old man for his suspected involvement in a series of e-commerce scams.
Between 16 and 27 October 2024, the Police received several reports from victims who were allegedly cheated by an online seller advertising the sale of Universal Studios Singapore Halloween Horror Nights 12 admission tickets on Carousell. Upon receiving the payments via PayNow or bank transfer, the man would allegedly send fake admission e-tickets to the victims via email. The victims discovered that the admission tickets were fake when they were denied entry into the theme park and the total losses amounted to about $1,000.
Through follow-up investigations, officers from Ang Mo Kio Police Division established the identity of the man and arrested him on 28 October 2024. Preliminary investigations revealed that the man is believed to be involved in other similar cases.
The man will be charged in Court on 30 October 2024 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 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 use a local bank account or provide a copy of a NRIC/driver’s license to make you believe that they are genuine sellers.
For more information on scams, members of the public can visit www.scamshield.gov.sg or call the ScamShield Helpline at 1799. Anyone with information on such scams may call the Police Hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
29 October 2024 @ 10:20 PM