SINGAPORE - A 25-year-old man was arrested on Thursday (Aug 12) for his suspected involvement in an e-commerce scam involving the sale of furniture.

Preliminary investigations showed that the man was involved in several other similar scam cases, said the police.

They were alerted to the case on May 9 when a victim complained that an online seller on Carousell had failed to deliver a furniture set that had been paid for.

The victim said the suspect became uncontactable after payment was made via bank transfer.

Officers from the Bedok Police Division identified the man and arrested him on Thursday. The man will be charged in court on Friday.

If convicted of cheating, he faces a jail term of up to 10 years and a fine.

Police also listed steps that can be taken to guard against falling victim to such scams:

- Buy only from authorised sellers or reputable sources, especially for high-value items.

- Choose payment options that release money to the seller only upon delivery. And avoid making advance payments or direct bank transfers to the seller.

- Be cautious of scammers who 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.

Police said scammers may also use a local bank account or provide a copy of an NRIC or driver's licence to make buyers believe that they are genuine sellers.

The public can visit this website or call 1800-722-6688 for more information.

Those with information on scams can call the police on 1800-255-0000 or submit details at this website.