The Police have arrested a 45-year-old man for his suspected involvement in a series of hotel room booking scam cases.
On 28 December 2021, the Police received a report from a victim who was purportedly cheated by the man for a hotel room booking. The victim did not receive the hotel booking after making payments to the man.
Through investigations, officers from Ang Mo Kio Division established the identity of the man and arrested him within six hours upon receiving the police report. Preliminary investigations revealed that the man is believed to be involved in other similar scam cases.
The man will be charged in court on 30 December 2021 with cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code. The offence carries an imprisonment term of up to ten years and a fine.
The Police would like to advise members of the public to take the following precautions when making online purchases:
- If the price is too good to be true, it probably is. Purchase only from authorised sellers or reputable sources, especially for high-value items.
- Opt for buyer protection by using in-built payment options that release payment to the seller only upon delivery. Whenever possible, avoid making advance payments or direct bank transfers to the seller as this method does not offer any protection.
- 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 a NRIC/driver’s license to make you believe that they are genuine sellers. Do not fall for it!
For more information on scams, members of the public can visit scamalert.sg or call the Anti-Scam Hotline at 1800-722-6688. Anyone with information on such scams may call the Police Hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness.
Source: Singapore Police Force