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The Police have arrested a 32-year-old man for his suspected involvement in a series of rental scams.

Between January 2022 to March 2022, the Police received reports from several victims of rental scams who had responded to online advertisements offering rental of residential units. After the victims paid the deposit via bank transfer, the man purportedly became uncontactable.

Through follow-up investigations, officers from Woodlands Police Division established the identity of the man and arrested him on 14 March 2022. Preliminary investigations revealed that he is believed to be involved in 24 similar cases of rental scams with losses amounting to more than $54,700.

The man will be charged in court on 16 March 2022 with the offence of cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code 1871. The offence carries an imprisonment term which may extend up to 10 years and a fine.

Members of the public are advised to adopt the following measures to avoid falling prey to rental scams:

1. Ensure that the person you deal with is a rightful owner of the unit or an accredited real estate agent by verifying their details and contact number with the agency; and
   
   
2. Ask to visit the unit and verify with the owner if the rental offer exists and is genuine.

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.