A 23-year-old Malaysian man, Tan Nian Hao (“Tan”), was sentenced to 56 months’ imprisonment on 7 August 2024 for carrying out fraudulent retail purchases using stolen credit card information via a mobile payment service at Orchard Road and other offences.
On 11 April 2024, the Police were informed that unfamiliar transactions which amounted to more than $28,000 had been charged to the complainants’ bank cards. The Police established the identities of Tan and his accomplice. They were subsequently arrested at Woodlands Checkpoint when they tried to enter Singapore on 16 April 2024. Investigations found that this was the third time they had entered Singapore together intending to commit such offences using bank cards – the details of which had been obtained via phishing scams – which had been linked to a mobile payment service. The case against Tan’s accomplice is still pending.
Tan was convicted of:
- Three charges of abetment by conspiracy with persons in Singapore and elsewhere to cheat under Section 420 read with Sections 109 and 108B of the Penal Code 1871 (“PC”);
- One charge of being party to a criminal conspiracy with persons in Singapore and elsewhere to cheat under Section 420 read with Sections 120B and 108B of the PC;
- One charge of converting property which represents another person’s benefits from criminal conduct under Section 54(2)(b) which is punishable under Section 54(5) of the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act 1992 (“CDSA”) read with Sections 109 and 108B of the PC; and
- One charge of removing from the jurisdiction property which represents another’s benefits from criminal conduct under Section 54(2)(b) which is punishable under Section 54(5) of the CDSA read with Sections 109 and 108B of the PC.
11 other charges were taken into consideration for sentencing purposes, consisting of ten charges of abetment by conspiracy with persons in Singapore and elsewhere to cheat and one charge of acquiring property that represents the accused’s benefits from criminal conduct under Section 54(1)(c) which is punishable under Section 54(5) of the CDSA.
Anyone who is convicted of cheating shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 10 years and shall also be liable to fine. Anyone who is convicted of converting or removing from the jurisdiction property which represents another’s benefits from criminal conduct shall be liable to a fine not exceeding $500,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years or to both.
The Police would like to remind members of the public that unauthorised use of another person’s credit/debit card information is a serious offence and take a serious view against any person who commits such offences, including attempts to use such information. Perpetrators will be dealt with in accordance with the law.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
13 August 2024 @ 5:00 PM