30-year-old charged with cheating in online scam
SINGAPORE — They placed their orders online for limited-edition watches or toy figurines, but the items never arrived even though payment had been made.
The victims are believed to have lost more than S$37,000 to the alleged perpetrator behind this series of online scams.
The 30-year-old suspect, who was arrested on Tuesday, is believed to have been involved in at least 24 other similar cases, the police said yesterday.
Since October, the police have received several reports regarding non-delivery of limited-edition watches and toy figurines that the victims had ordered online.
Following investigations, officers from the Tanglin Police Division were able to establish the suspect’s identity, and he was arrested on Beach Road.
The suspect was charged with cheating in the State Courts yesterday. If found guilty, he may be jailed for up to 10 years for each cheating charge.
The police have advised the public to adopt several precautions to avoid falling victim to online purchase scams.
For example, they should buy only from reputable online vendors, and check that the person or company involved is physically located where they claim to be.
Buyers should also never give their bank account or credit card numbers and personal information to anyone they do not know.
If advanced payments are needed, buyers should deal with only the people they know or trust, or ask for a contact number so that the seller’s identity can be verified.
Scammers may use a local bank account for a transaction to enhance their credibility.
“The owner of the bank account may not be the person communicating with you online,” the police said.
