The Police have arrested a 44-year-old man for his suspected involvement in a series of e-commerce scams.
Between 11 September 2019 and 1 June 2020, the Police received multiple reports from victims who were purportedly cheated by an online seller selling toy figurines on Carousell. The victims claim that they did not receive the toy figurines after payments were made to the seller via bank transfer.
Through investigations, officers from Clementi Police Division established the identity of the man and arrested him on 8 June 2020. Preliminary investigations revealed that the man is believed to have cheated victims amounting to $13,000.
Police investigations are ongoing. The offence of cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code carries an imprisonment term for 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
08 June 2020 @ 7:50 PM