Man allegedly scammed over 500 victims of more than $400k
A 25-year-old man will be charged over his suspected involvement in a series of e-commerce scams involving the sale of gaming chairs, gaming consoles and electronic lifestyle products.
On Monday night (Oct 18), the police said that they had received several reports from victims who did not receive items they paid for.
The victims said they paid an online seller via bank transfers and PayNow for the products, which were offered at discounted prices on e-commerce platform Carousell.
Through follow-up investigations and collaborating closely with Carousell, officers from the Commercial Affairs Department were able to identify the 25-year-old and arrest him.
According to preliminary investigations, he is believed to have scammed more than 500 victims out of more than $400,000.
If found guilty of cheating, he may be jailed up to 10 years and fined.
On Monday, the police reiterated advice for buyers to take precautions when making online purchases, such as by opting for buyer protection by using in-built payment options that release payment to the seller only upon delivery.
The police also warned that scammers may entice buyers to contact them directly through messaging platforms such as WhatsApp or WeChat by offering a better or faster deal if bank transfer payments are made directly to them.
They may also use a local bank account or provide a copy of a NRIC or driver's licence to try and convince victims that they are genuine sellers.
"If the price is too good to be true, it probably is. Purchase only from authorised sellers or reputable sources, especially for high-value items," said the police.
Anyone with information on such scams may call the police hotline on 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at this website.
For more information on scams, go to this website or call the anti-scam hotline on 1800-722-6688.
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