The Police have arrested a 26-year-old man for his suspected involvement in a case of cheating.
On 29 May 2020, the Police were alerted to a case of alleged cheating. A victim had agreed to purchase a motorcycle from the 26-year-old man, who was unknown to him, through Telegram. After a deposit payment amounting to more than $1,000 was made by the victim via bank transfer, the victim claimed that he did not receive the motorcycle as promised by the man and was told to make further payments. Suspecting that he was cheated, the victim lodged a police report.
Through follow-up investigations and with the aid of images from police cameras, officers from Jurong Police Division established the identity of the man and arrested him on 10 June 2020.
Police investigations are ongoing. The offence of cheating, punishable under Section 420 of the Penal Code, carries a jail 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:
· Bear in mind that the party you are dealing with online is a stranger. Before performing a transaction on an online shopping site, find out how the site safeguards your interest or can help you resolve disputes;
· Insist on cash on delivery especially if responding to online classified advertisements;
· If advance payments are required, use shopping platforms that provide arrangements to only release your payment to the seller upon your receipt of the item;
· 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 0000or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
12 June 2020 @ 9:00 AM