SINGAPORE - The police have arrested a mother and son duo for their suspected involvement in 450 cases of e-commerce scams amounting to more than $110,000.

These scams involved the bogus sales of tickets to Universal Studios Singapore (USS), concerts and events.

Between January and May this year, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) received several reports from victims who said they were cheated by different online sellers who had advertised USS entry passes and tickets for various events on Carousell and Facebook.

The sellers became uncontactable after payments were made.

Officers from the Commercial Affairs Department later established the identities of the man and woman and arrested them on Tuesday (June 16).

The 32-year-old man will be charged in court with cheating on Thursday under Section 420 of the Penal Code which is punishable with up to 10 years' jail and a fine.

Meanwhile, his 62-year-old mother is assisting with investigations.

The authorities advised members of the public to take precautions when shopping online, including purchasing only from authorised sellers or reputable sources, especially for high-value items.

They should also opt for buyer protection by using in-built payment methods that release payment to the seller only upon delivery.

The police also recommended that whenever possible, buyers should avoid making advance payments or direct bank transfers to the seller.

Additionally, scammers may 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.

They may also use a local bank account or provide a copy of an NRIC or driver's licence to make their target believe that they are genuine sellers.

For more information on scams, go to the Scam Alert website 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 the iWitness website.