The Police have arrested a 24-year-old man for his suspected involvement in a series of e-commerce car rental scams.
On 26 January 2024, the Police received a report from a victim who was purportedly cheated by an online seller who had advertised cars for rental on Carousell. The man could not be contacted after the victim made the payment.
Through investigations, officers from Bedok Police Division established the identity of the man and arrested him on 15 May 2024. Preliminary investigations revealed that the man was involved in other similar cases, leading to a combined monetary loss of $2,200.
The man will be charged in court on 17 May 2024 with the offence of cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code 1871. with the offence of cheating carries an imprisonment term of up to ten years and a fine.
The Police would like to advise members of the public to adopt the following precautionary measures:
- ADD - ScamShield App and set security features (e.g., enable two-factor (2FA) or multifactor authentication for banks, social media, Singpass accounts; set transaction limits on internet banking transactions, including PayNow)
- CHECK - for scam signs with official sources (e.g., visit www.scamalert.sg or call the Anti-Scam Helpline at 1800-722-6688). If the price is too good to be true, it probably is. Purchase only from authorised sellers or reputable sources and be wary of attractive, time-sensitive deals where only limited stocks are available. Avoid making upfront payments to bank accounts belonging to unknown individuals and, whenever possible, avoid making advance payments or direct bank transfers to the seller. Always verify the seller’s profile through customer reviews and ratings.
- TELL - authorities, family, and friends about this scam so they do not fall for it. Report the fraudulent pages to the social media sites.
If you have information relating to such crimes or if you are in doubt, please call the Police Hotline at 1800-255-0000, or submit it online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness. All information will be kept strictly confidential. If you require urgent Police assistance, please dial ‘999’.
For more information on scams, members of the public can visit www.scamalert.sg or call the Anti-Scam Helpline at 1800-722-6688. Join the ‘Spot the Signs. Stop the Crimes’ campaign at www.scamalert.sg/fight by signing up as an advocate to receive up-to-date messages and share them with your family and friends. Fighting scams is a community effort. Together, we can ACT Against Scams and prevent our loved ones from becoming the next victim!
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
16 May 2024 @ 9:30 PM