2 men arrested for allegedly cheating victims into buying fake Apple AirPods

Two men, aged 19 and 23 have been arrested for their suspected involvement in a series of cheating cases.      

Between Dec 21 and 23, the police received multiple reports from victims that they were allegedly cheated by the two men into buying fake Apple AirPods after responding to an online advertisement.

Through investigations, officers from Bedok Police Division identified the men and arrested them on Dec 23.

Investigations are ongoing against the two men for the offence of cheating.

If convicted, they could face a jail term of up to 10 years and a fine.

While online shopping is convenient, the police would like to advise members of the public to take the following precautions when shopping online:

• Be wary of people selling items for prices that sound too good to be true. Check the seller’s track record by reading reviews of their services or contact past customers.
• Buy goods only from authorised dealers. If advanced payment is required, use shopping platforms that provide arrangements to only release your payment to the seller upon your receipt of the item;
• Bear in mind that the party that you are dealing with online is a stranger. Whenever possible, only pay upon your receipt of the item.