SINGAPORE - A 24-year-old man was arrested on Monday (April 1) for allegedly cheating online shoppers of more than $10,000.
The police said in a statement on Tuesday that they received several reports from victims between December last year and March this year who were duped by a seller on platforms such as Carousell, Rent in Singapore and Roomgo.
The victims had tried to buy game consoles and mobile phones as well as rent rooms and cars.
But after making their payments to the seller via bank transfer, the seller became uncontactable.
Officers from the Commercial Affairs Department identified the seller and arrested him on Monday.
He is believed to be involved in at least 26 cases of e-commerce scams here, amounting to more than $10,000.
If convicted of cheating, he faces a jail term of up to 10 years and a fine.
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The police have urged the public to take precautions, even as many turn to online shopping for its convenience.
The public should bear in mind that they are dealing with a stranger, and find out how the online shopping platform can safeguard their interest or help them resolve disputes before performing a transaction.
The police also said that members of the public should insist on cash on delivery, especially if responding to online classified advertisements.
If advance payments are needed, use shopping platforms that provide arrangements to release the payment to the seller only after the buyer has received the items, the police added.
For more information on scams, the public may visit scamalert.sg or call the anti-scam hotline on 1800-722-6688.
Anyone with information on such scams may call the police hotline on 1800-255-0000 or submit the information online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness.
