The Police have arrested a 23-year-old man for his suspected involvement in a series of e-commerce scams involving the sale of Apple iPhones.
Between March 2023 and May 2023, the Police received several reports from victims who were purportedly cheated by an online seller, who had allegedly advertised the sale of Apple iPhones on Carousell. The man allegedly received deposits from the victims via PayNow, and failed to deliver the items.
Through follow-up investigations, officers from Ang Mo Kio Division established the identity of the man and arrested him on 14 June 2023. Preliminary investigations reveal that the man is believed to be involved in five similar cases involving losses of about S$3,580. It was also revealed that he had intentionally relinquished his other bank accounts to a syndicate that was involved in a friend impersonation scam involving losses of about S$24,790.
The man will be charged in court on 16 June 2023 with cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code 1871, which carries an imprisonment term of up to 10 years and a fine. He may also be liable for the offence of unauthorised access to computer material read with Section 12 (1) the Computer Misuse Act 1993, which carries a fine not exceeding $5,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or both and the offence of abetment to cheating under Section 417 read with Section 109 of the Penal Code 1871 which carries an imprisonment term of up to three years, a fine, or both.
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/driver’s license 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 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
15 June 2023 @ 10:30 PM