The Police have arrested a 19-year-old woman for her suspected involvement in a series of e-commerce scams.
Between April to May 2021, the Police received multiple reports from victims who were purportedly cheated by an online seller who had advertised merchandise such as bags, clothes and shoes, for sale on Carousell. The victims were allegedly deceived by the seller into making payments totaling $1,500 through PayNow transfers. After receiving the payment, the seller became uncontactable.
Through investigations, officers from Woodlands Police Division established the identity of the woman and arrested her on 10 May 2021. Preliminary investigations revealed that the woman is also allegedly involved in a series of sexual scams where she had purportedly deceived victims into making payments on the pretext of providing sexual services.
Investigations are ongoing. The offence of cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code carries an imprisonment term of up to 10 years, and a fine.
The Police would like to advise 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 or driver’s licence to make you believe that they are genuine sellers. Do not fall for it!
For more information on scams, members of the public can visit www.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.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
11 May 2021 @ 10:00 PM