The Police have arrested two Taiwanese men, aged 25 and 27, for their suspected involvement in credit card fraud.
On 2 April 2025, the Police received a call regarding a suspicious credit card transaction made at a luxury retail store located in Marina Bay Sands and Ngee Ann City. Through extensive ground enquiries and with the aid of images from CCTVs, officers from the Commercial Affairs Department, Central Police Division, Tanglin Police Division and Clementi Police Division conducted a joint operation and arrested the men on the same day.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the two men arrived in Singapore on 1 April 2025 and were allegedly working for an overseas criminal syndicate. The men were believed to have used the contactless payment method (also known as Near Field Communication (NFC) mobile payments) linked to stolen credit card details to make fraudulent purchases at various locations in Singapore.
This modus operandi is believed to have defrauded multiple businesses, with the men successfully purchasing luxury items from various boutiques in Marina Bay Sands and Ngee Ann City. These items such as shoes, handbags, wallets, and earrings, and four mobile phones were recovered and seized.
The men will be charged in court on 4 April 2025 with the offence of criminal conspiracy to cheat under Section 420 read with Section 109 of the Penal Code 1871 which carries an imprisonment term of up to ten years and a fine.
The Police would like to remind members of the public that unauthorised use of another person’s credit or debit card is a serious offence and take a serious view against any person who commits fraud. Perpetrators will be dealt with in accordance with the law.
Members of the public are advised to call their card-issuing banks immediately if their credit/debit cards are lost or stolen, and to adopt the following crime prevention measures:
- Keep your credit or debit cards safe with you at all times;
- Opt in for SMS notifications to be sent to your mobile phone for any charges incurred on your credit or debit cards;
- Check your bank statements and alert the bank immediately should there be any discrepancies or unauthorised charges;
- Do not click on URL links in unsolicited emails and text messages and give out your credit or debit card details to unknown persons;
- Do not reveal your One-Time Password to anyone; and
- Do not expose your credit or debit cards. Keep them in your purse or wallet until you are ready to make your purchases.
Photo of seized items
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
03 April 2025 @ 9:55 PM