Teen pleads guilty to cheating offences involving face masks

A teenager cheated five people of $580 in total after promising to sell them surgical face masks even though she had none in stock and had no intention of delivering any.

Nur Atiena Mohamed Asidi, 19, pleaded guilty yesterday to two cheating charges involving two victims and $350 in total. The remaining cheating charges involving three people and $230 will be considered during sentencing.

The Singaporean has become the first person here to plead guilty to cheating offences involving face masks during the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

Others, like Daryl Cheong Zhi Yong, are facing similar charges and their cases are still pending. The 28-year-old was charged on Feb 15 with cheating a man of $175,000.

In Nur's case, she had used her account on online marketplace Carousell to create an advertisement, claiming that she was selling surgical face masks.

One of the victims contacted Nur on Feb 18 and said she wanted to buy 45 boxes of such masks. Nur lied to the woman, claiming that she had available stocks of the masks, and said she could deliver them by Feb 20. She then asked the victim to transfer $100 to a bank account as a "deposit".

The victim did as she was told and Nur became uncontactable soon after.

It turned out that the bank account belonged to another Carousell seller from whom Nur had agreed to buy a pair of Nike shoes.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Michelle Tay told District Judge Eddy Tham: "The accused deliberately searched for items being sold on Carousell for $100... The accused purchased the Nike shoes from the... seller for $100 and instructed (the victim) to transfer the $100 deposit to the seller.

"This was done by the accused in order to realise the fruits of her crime and at the same time conceal her identity. The accused received the Nike shoes some time later by parcel delivery."

Using a similar method, Nur cheated another woman of $250 in February. Both victims alerted the police later that month.

The total amount that Nur Atiena Mohamed Asidi cheated five people out of.

Nur claimed she spent $340 to buy milk powder, food and nappies for her daughter who is now seven months old. To date, the teenager has made restitution of $50.

Nur, who is unrepresented, pleaded for leniency yesterday. She told Judge Tham that a friend is now taking care of her daughter and the child's father is living elsewhere. It was not stated if she is married to the child's father.

Judge Tham has called for a report to assess Nur's suitability for probation. She was offered bail of $5,000, and will be sentenced on May 27.