Two 16-year-old teens arrested for cheating victims of more than $5k on Carousell
Nadine Chua
Posted on 06 August 2020 | 5,155 views | 2 comments
Two 16-year-old male teenagers have been arrested on Tuesday (August 4) for their suspected involvement in a series of e-commerce scams.
Between March and July 2020, the police received several reports from victims who were purportedly cheated by an online seller who was selling computer parts and high-end gaming PCs on Carousell.
"After making payments to the seller via cash on delivery or bank transfers, the victims claim that they received items which were of a lower specification," the police said.
"There were also some cases where victims received items that were not functioning."
Through investigations and close collaboration with Carousell, officers from the Commercial Affairs Department established the identity of the teenager and his acquaintance and arrested them.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the duo are believed to have cheated more than ten victims of more than $5,000.
Police investigations are ongoing.
The offence of cheating carries an imprisonment term of up to ten years, and a fine.
The police take a serious view of persons who may be involved in scams and frauds, and perpetrators will be dealt with, in accordance with the law.
Members of the public are advised to be very careful when making online purchases:
- 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.
- 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 licence to make you believe that they are genuine sellers. Do not fall for it!
- 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.