Man arrested for suspected involvement in scam on Carousell
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SINGAPORE - A 28-year-old man has been arrested for his suspected involvement in an e-commerce scam involving the sale of computer monitors, the police said on Sunday.
The man had allegedly advertised the sale of computer monitors on e-commerce platform Carousell and received deposits totalling $40 from a victim via PayNow before he became uncontactable.
The police said they were alerted to the incident on Aug 20 after the victim made a report.
Through follow-up investigations, officers from Woodlands Police Division established the identity of the man and arrested him on Tuesday.
The man will be charged in court on Monday with cheating. If found guilty, he faces a jail term of up to 10 years and a fine.
The police advised the public to exercise caution when making online purchases.
“If the price is too good to be true, it probably is,” they said in the statement. “Purchase only from authorised sellers or reputable sources, especially for high-value items.”
Additionally, they also advised the public to avoid making advance payments or direct bank transfers to a seller as this method does not offer buyers any protection.
Instead, they should opt for buyer protection by using in-built payment options that release payment to a 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 and offer 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 an NRIC or driver’s licence to make you believe that they are genuine sellers,” they added.
For more information on scams, the public can 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 information online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness.
