130% rise in number of e-commerce scams involving electronics: Police
The number of e-commerce scams involving electronic products, such as mobile phones and games consoles, has jumped, said the police on Tuesday.
Between January and March, at least 531 such reports were made, with total losses amounting to over $380,000.
The police said in a press release this marks a 130 per cent increase in the number of reports received compared to the same period last year and a 44 per cent increase in the total amount lost.
Mobile phones were the most common product involved, amounting to almost half of the cases.
Airpods and game consoles made up 17 per cent and 13 per cent of the cases reported respectively, while the remaining cases were related to laptops, television sets and other devices.
GRAB CREDITS, IPHONES
The police said it received several reports from victims who had purchased Grab credits and Apple iPhones from a seller at discounted prices on Carousell between Jan 1 and Feb 29.
He then became uncontactable after the victims paid deposits via bank transfers.
Officers from the Commercial Affairs Department identified the seller and arrested him on March 11.
Police reminded buyers to be wary of purchases if the price is too good to be true.
They should purchase only from authorised sellers and reputable sources, especially for high-value items.
They are also advised to avoid advance payments and direct bank transfers to the seller as these methods do not offer protection.
Buyers should use in-built payment options that release the funds to the seller only upon delivery.
The police warned buyers not to fall for scammers who want to communicate directly through messaging platforms such as WhatsApp or WeChat by offering a faster deal if bank transfer payments are made directly to them.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now