The Police have arrested four men and a woman, aged between 18 and 29, for their suspected involvement in a series of e-commerce scams.
Between July and August 2018, the Police received multiple reports from victims who were purportedly cheated by online sellers who were selling concert tickets. After payments were made by the victims via bank transfers, the suspects would become uncontactable.
Through follow up investigations, officers from Commercial Affairs Department established the identities of the five suspects and arrested them on 1 November 2018. Mobile phones, SIM cards, computer, bank cards, bank security tokens and some documents were seized as case exhibits.
Two men will be charged in court on 3 November 2018 with cheating, which is punishable with an imprisonment term which may extend to 10 years, and shall also be liable to a fine. Investigations against other two men and a woman are still ongoing.
While online shopping is convenient, the Police would like to advise members of the public to take the following precautions when shopping online:
- Bear in mind that the party you are dealing with online is a stranger. Before performing a transaction on an online shopping site, find out how the site safeguards your interest or can help you resolve disputes;
- Insist on cash on delivery especially if responding to online classified advertisements;
- If advanced payments are required, use shopping platforms that provide arrangements to only release your payment to the seller upon your receipt of the item;
- Be mindful that although culprits may provide a copy of an Identification Card or Driver’s licence to gain your trust, it may not necessarily belong to the person communicating with you online; and
- Note that scammers may use a local bank account to enhance credibility; however the owner of the account may not be the person communicating with you online.
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
02 November 2018 @ 11:20 PM