The Police have arrested a 32-year-old man for his suspected involvement in using stolen debit cards to make unauthorised transactions.
On 26 July 2023, the Police received a report from a victim who discovered that several unauthorised transactions had been made with his debit cards. Through follow-up investigations and the aid of Police and CCTV cameras, officers from Bedok Police Division established the identity of the man and arrested him on 2 August 2023. Preliminary investigations revealed that the man is believed to have used the victim’s debit cards for purchases such as shoes, handphones, wallets and watch amounting to more than $5,000. Several items, such as shoes, watches, handphones, wallets and the victim’s debit cards were seized as case exhibits.
The man will be charged in court on 4 August 2023 with cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code 1871. The offence of cheating carries an imprisonment term of up to 10 years and a fine.
The Police would like to remind members of the public that unauthorised use of another person’s credit / debit card is a serious offence and take a serious view against any person who commits fraud and the perpetrators will be dealt with in accordance with the law.
The Police would also 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 crime prevention measures.
DOs
- Keep your credit or debit cards safe with you at all times;
- Opt in for SMS notifications to be sent to your mobile phone for any charges incurred on your credit or debit cards; and
- Check your bank statements and alert the bank immediately should there be any discrepancies or unauthorised charges.
DON’Ts
- Do not give out your credit or debit card details to unknown persons;
- Do not reveal your OTPs to anyone; and
- Do not expose your credit or debit cards. Keep the cards in your purse or wallet until you are ready to make your purchases.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
03 August 2023 @ 9:45 PM