SINGAPORE - A maid took down the details of a credit card belonging to her employer’s elderly mother and used them to go on a $13,000 shopping spree at online retail stores over five months.
Indonesian Dewi Susanti, 27, used the card details in 196 transactions, many of which were made after she had gone back to her home country after her contract ended.
She was jailed for five months on Thursday after she pleaded guilty to an offence under the Computer Misuse Act.
Dewi had been working for her employer, 56, for around three years before she committed the offence.
She was at home sometime in 2022 when she saw the credit card belonging to her employer’s 74-year-old mother.
The maid used her mobile phone to note down its details, as she wanted to use them to make online purchases.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Stephanie Koh said: “The accused used the... card details to make online purchases of clothes, make-up and accessories, and for other personal expenses.”
In instances where the online retail stores sent one-time passwords (OTPs) for security verification, Dewi would retrieve them from the phone belonging to the senior, the DPP added.
Dewi had access to the device, as she had held on to it while helping the elderly woman go up some stairs.
There were also occasions when the mobile phone was left lying around the home.
Dewi’s employment contract ended on April 29, and four days later, she returned to Indonesia where she continued using the credit card details to perform transactions at online retail stores that did not require OTPs.
Between March and July 2022, she used the credit card details to pay for 196 transactions at online retail stores such as Lazada, Shein and Shopee, involving a total of S$13,750.76.
Her employer lodged a police report on July 30, stating that a supplementary credit card in her mother’s name had been used to make online purchases without their consent.
Dewi was arrested when she returned to Singapore on Oct 20 to seek new employment. She has made no restitution.
For committing the offence under the Computer Misuse Act, a first-time offender can be jailed for up to two years and fined up to $5,000.
A repeat offender can be jailed for up to three years and fined up to $10,000.
