The Police have arrested a woman and two teenagers, aged between 16 and 21, for their suspected involvement in a series of e-commerce scams.
Between January and June 2020, the Police received multiple reports from victims who were purportedly cheated by online sellers who claimed to be selling authentic luxury bags at a discounted price on Carousell. Some of the victims eventually discovered that the bags were counterfeit while a few of them did not receive the bags after payments were made as the suspects became uncontactable.
Through investigations, officers from Bedok Police Division established the identities of the three suspects and arrested them on 11 and 12 August 2020. Preliminary investigations revealed that they are believed to be involved in at least seven cases of such scams amounting to S$9,800.
Investigations are ongoing. The offence of cheating, punishable under Section 420 of the Penal Code, Chapter 224, carries an imprisonment term of up to 10 years and a fine.
While online shopping is convenient, the Police would like to advise members of the public to take the following precautions:
- 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 0000or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
15 August 2020 @ 3:15 PM