The Police have arrested a 32-year-old man for his suspected involvement in a series of cheating cases.
Between 22 January 2019 and 28 March 2019, the Police received several reports from victims who were purportedly cheated by an online seller who advertised the sale of hotel stay on an online platform. After payments were made by the victims via bank transfers, the seller would become uncontactable.
Through follow up investigations and ground enquiries, officers from Ang Mo Kio Police Division established the identity of the man and arrested him on 5 April 2019 along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 9.
The man will be charged in court on 6 April 2019 with cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code, Chapter 224. Anyone convicted for cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code, Chapter 224 may be punished with imprisonment for up to 10 years and shall also be liable to a fine.
Members of the public are advised to adopt the following crime prevention measures to avoid falling prey to online purchase scams:
- Do not share your PIN number, bank account number, One-Time Passwords, or SMS-verification codes with anyone;
- Before performing a transaction, find out how the online site safeguards your interest or can help you resolve disputes;
- Check the seller’s track record by reading reviews or contacting previous customers;
- Purchase tickets only from authorised sellers, and take note of the terms and conditions of the ticket sale;
- If advanced payments are required, use shopping platforms that provide arrangements to only release your payment to the seller upon your receipt of the item.
For scam-related advice, you may call the anti-scam helpline at 1800-722-6688 or go to www.scamalert.sg. Help spread the word and share this advisory with your family and friends to prevent them from being the next victim of scam.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
05 April 2019 @ 11:50 PM