The Police have arrested a 27-year-old man for his suspected involvement in a series of e-commerce scams.
Between 19 Feb and 27 May 2020, the Police received multiple reports from victims who were purportedly cheated by an online seller who was selling game credits on Carousell. The victims did not receive the redemption codes for the game credits after payments were made to the seller via bank transfer, the items were not delivered.
Through follow-up investigations, officers from Jurong Police Division established the identity of the man and arrested him on 28 May 2020.
Police investigations are ongoing. The offence of cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code, Chapter 224. The offence 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:
- 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 advance 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 sellers 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
30 May 2020 @ 10:00 AM