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The Police have arrested a 40-year-old woman for her suspected involvement in a series of rental scams.

Between March 2024 and July 2025, the Police received multiple reports from victims of rental scams, who had responded to online advertisements for room rentals at a residential block along Segar Road. After the victims contacted the woman to express interest and paid deposits ranging from $300 to $3,600 via cash or bank transfers, the woman allegedly cancelled the agreements and did not rent out the rooms as promised.

Through follow-up investigations, officers from Jurong Police Division established the identity of the woman and arrested her on 17 July 2025. Preliminary investigations revealed that she is believed to be involved in at least 32 similar cases of rental scams, with total losses amounting to more than $48,500.

The woman will be charged in court on 3 October 2025 with the offence of cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code 1871. The offence carries an imprisonment term of up to ten years and a fine.

The Police would like to remind members of the public to be wary of such scams and to adopt the following precautionary measures to avoid falling prey to rental scams:

1. Do not make any advance payment until the tenancy is confirmed, and pay the rental deposit and rent by cheque or bank transfer for documentary proof;
2. Visit the housing unit which you intend to rent to confirm its existence, check its condition, and look for potential signs of subletting; and
3. Verify the identities of the person/s whom you are dealing with and their relationship to the housing unit, especially when you are not engaging the services of a licensed estate agent or registered salespersons.

For more information on scams, members of the public can visit www.scamshield.gov.sg or call the ScamShield Helpline at 1799. Anyone with information on such scams may call the Police Hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness.