A 32-year-old man has been arrested in Singapore for his suspected involvement in a series of cheating cases, according to a media release issued yesterday by the Singapore Police Force. He was allegedly scamming people by fake-selling, among other things, tickets to theme parks at Resorts World Sentosa.
The release said that between August 10 and 14 this year, the police received several reports from victims who were purportedly cheated by an online seller.
This online seller had advertised the sale of Japanese Anime trading cards and admission tickets to theme parks at Resorts World Sentosa on Facebook and Carousell. The man allegedly failed to deliver the items after payments were made.
Through follow-up investigations, officers from the Ang Mo Kio Police Division established the identity of the man and arrested him on August 15. Preliminary investigations revealed that the man was believed to be involved in other similar cases.
The man is being charged with cheating in court today, under Section 420 of the Penal Code 1871. The offence of cheating carries an imprisonment term of up to 10 years and a fine under Singapore law.
The police advised members of the public to take the following precautions when making online purchases:
● If the price is too good to be true, it probably is. Purchase only from authorised sellers or reputable sources, especially for high-value items.
● Opt for buyer protection by using in-built payment options that release payment to the seller only upon delivery. Whenever possible, avoid making advance payments or direct bank transfers to the seller as this method does not offer any protection.
● Scammers may entice buyers to contact them directly through messaging platforms such as WhatsApp or WeChat by offering a better or faster deal if bank transfer payments are made directly to them. They may also use a local bank account or provide a copy of a NRIC/driver’s licence to make a buyer believe that they are genuine sellers. Do not fall for it.
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 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness.
