The Police have arrested a 23-year-old man for his suspected involvement in using a found credit card to make an unauthorised transaction.
On 1 January 2020, the Police received a report from a victim who discovered that an unauthorised purchase had been made with her missing credit card.
Through investigations, officers from the Commercial Affairs Department established the identity of the man and arrested him on 6 January 2020. Preliminary investigations revealed that the man is believed to have found the victim’s credit card and used it to make an unauthorised transaction for a retail purchase of a personal mobility device amounting to more than $1,000. The personal mobility device was seized as case exhibit.
The man will be charged in court on 7 January 2020 with the offence of cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code, Chapter 224. The offence of cheating carries an imprisonment term of up to 10 years, or with fine, or with both. The offence of dishonest misappropriation of property shall be punished with a jail term which may extend to 2 years, or with a fine, or with both.
The Police would like to remind members of the public that unauthorised use of another person’s credit/debit card is a serious offence.
The Police would like to advise all credit/debit card holders to call their card issuing banks immediately if their credit/debit cards are lost or stolen, and to adopt the following measures to prevent unauthorised use of their cards:
- Opt for an SMS notification to be sent to your mobile phone for any charges incurred on your credit/debit card;
- Check bank statements and alert the bank immediately should there be any discrepancies or fraudulent charges; and
The Police would also like to remind merchants and sales staff to exercise vigilance and adopt correct card acceptance procedures when processing credit card transactions. They should look out for the various security features on the card face. If they detect anything suspicious, they should contact their processing bank immediately for advice.
Case Exhibits Seized
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
06 January 2020 @ 10:30 PM