The Police have arrested two men, aged 19 and 31, for their suspected involvement in using a found credit card and stolen credit card information to make unauthorised transactions in two separate cases.
In the first case, on 27 February 2021, the Police received a report from a victim who discovered that several unauthorised transactions had been made with her missing credit card. Through investigations, officers from the Commercial Affairs Department established the identity of a 19-year-old man and arrested him on 2 March 2021. Preliminary investigations revealed that the man who worked as a waiter had allegedly misappropriated the victim’s credit card and later used it to make unauthorised transactions amounting to more than $3,000. Items that were purportedly purchased using the victim’s credit card, including a mobile phone, a haversack, a T-shirt, some transaction receipts and the victim’s credit card were recovered from the man’s possession and seized as case exhibits.
In the second case, on 24 February 2021, the Police received a report of unauthorised transactions made on a taxi booking phone application. Through investigations, officers from the Commercial Affairs Department established the identity of a 31-year-old man and arrested him on 3 March 2021. Preliminary investigations revealed that the man had allegedly made unauthorised transactions on the taxi booking application amounting to more than $500. One mobile phone was seized as a case exhibit.
The two men will be charged in court on 4 March 2021. The offence of cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code, Chapter 224, carries a jail term of up to 10 years and a fine. The offence of unauthorised access to computer material under Section 3(1) of the Computer Misuse Act, Chapter 50A, carries a jail term not exceeding two years, a fine not exceeding $5,000, or 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. Credit and debit card holders are advised to adopt the following crime prevention measures:
- Keep your credit or debit cards safe with you at all times;
- Call your card issuing banks immediately if your credit or debit cards are lost or stolen;
- Opt for an SMS notification to be sent to your mobile phone for any charges incurred on your credit or debit card; and
- Check your bank statements regularly and alert the bank immediately should there be any discrepancies or unauthorised charges.
Case Exhibits Seized in Two Separate Cases
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
03 March 2021 @ 8:30 PM