After a three-day island-wide operation conducted between 25 and 27 June 2018, 102 people are under investigations for their suspected involvement in various scams. 67 men and 35 women, aged between 14 and 70, are suspected to be involved in 286 cases of scams involving more than S$507,000.
All of the suspects are being investigated for the offence of Cheating, which carries a punishment of imprisonment for up to 10 years and a fine under the Penal Code, or Money Laundering, which carries a punishment of imprisonment for up to 10 years and/or a fine of up to S$500,000 under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act (CDSA).
In some cases, investigations revealed that scammers have intentionally bought Carousell accounts from other users. These accounts, which were still registered under their original owners were used to cheat victims. Anyone whose personal details or accounts, such as bank or Carousell accounts, found to be used for criminal activities will be investigated by the Police.
While the Police will continue enforcement operations and take firm action against anyone involved in scams, members of the public should also take the following precautions to avoid becoming a victim of scams:
- Do not panic - If you receive a call from someone claiming to be a government official asking you for payment to avoid being deported or arrested, ignore the calls as no government agency will ask for payments or for your personal details through a phone call. Bear in mind that scammers can employ caller-ID spoofing technology to make numbers that appear on your caller-ID look like they are from official government hotline numbers.
- Do not believe - When making purchases through online classifieds, be wary of people selling items for prices that sound too good to be true. Remember that the party you are dealing with online is a stranger. Whenever possible, arrange for a physical meet-up and pay only on delivery. If advanced payments are required, online shoppers should use platforms that provide arrangements to only release your payment upon your receipt of the item.
- Do not give – Do not share your personal information such as your identification number, bank account number, One-Time Passwords, or SMS-verification codes with anyone. Your personal information may be abused by scammers;
To seek scam-related advice, you may call the anti-scam helpline at 1800-722-6688 or visit www.scamalert.sg.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
28 June 2018 @ 8:05 PM