Police have arrested a 30-year-old man for his suspected involvement in a series of online purchase scams.
2 Since October 2014, Police have received several reports regarding non-delivery of limited-edition watches and toy figurines that victims have ordered and made payments online. Upon receiving these reports, officers from the Tanglin Police Division conducted extensive investigations to establish the identity of the suspect. The officers arrested him at Beach Road following an operation conducted on 28 April 2015. Preliminary investigations revealed that he is believed to be involved in at least 24 other similar cases, where the victims have lost more than $37,000.
3 The suspect will be charged in the State Courts on 30 April 2015 for the offence of Cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code, Chapter 224. If convicted, he may be jailed for a term of not extending more than 10 years for each offence.
4 Members of public are advised to adopt the following measures to avoid falling victim to online purchase scams:
- Make your online purchases only from reputable vendors
- If advanced payments are necessary, only transact with people you know and trust. Otherwise, insist on getting a contact number so that the seller’s identity can be verified
- Check that the person or company you are buying from is physically located where they claim to be
- Check the company or seller’s track record. Make enquiries with the clients and customers about the service they received from the seller
- Never give your bank account numbers, credit card numbers and personal information to anyone you do not know or have not checked out
- Do not provide any information that is not necessary to make the purchase
- Do be mindful that scammers may use a local bank account for the transaction to enhance their credibility. The owner of the bank account may not be the person communicating with you online
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
30 April 2015 @ 12:24 AM