The Police have arrested a 31-year-old man for his suspected involvement in a series of e-commerce scams.
In April and May 2019, the Police received several reports from victims who were purportedly cheated by an online seller who was offering room rental services on Facebook and iLivesg.com. After deposit payments were made by the victims, the seller became uncontactable.
Through investigations, officers from the Commercial Affairs Department established the identity of the man and arrested him on 13 May 2019. He is believed to be involved in at least 10 cases of such e-commerce scams amounting to more than $37,000.
The man will be charged in court on 15 May 2019. If convicted for cheating, he can be jailed for up to 10 years and fined.
The Police would like to advise members of the public to take the following precautions:
- Bear in mind that the party you are dealing with online is a stranger. Before performing a transaction online, find out how the site safeguards your interest or can help you resolve disputes;
- Be mindful that although sellers may provide a copy of an identification card or driver’s licence to gain your trust, it may not necessarily belong to the person communicating with you online; and
- Note that scammers may use a local bank account to enhance credibility; however, the owner of the account may not be the person communicating with you online.
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.
Samples of the listing
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
14 May 2019 @ 5:00 PM