52-year-old man arrested for allegedly using someone else's credit card at entertainment outlet

The police have arrested a 52-year-old man for his suspected involvement in using a credit card belonging to another person to make unauthorised transactions at an entertainment outlet.

The police received a report from a victim on June 21 that there were two unauthorised transactions made with her missing credit card.

With investigations, officers from the Commercial Affairs Department identified the man and arrested him on Tuesday (July 23). 

Investigations revealed that the man is believed to have picked up the victim’s credit card when she left it at an AXS machine along Bedok North Street 1.

The man then used the credit card to make the unauthorised transactions at an entertainment outlet amounting to about $300.

The man will be charged in court on Wednesday (July 24). 

If convicted for cheating by personation, the man could face a jail term of up to five years and/or a fine. 

If convicted for dishonest misappropriation of property, the man could face a jail term of up to two years and/or a fine. 

The police advise all credit/debit cardholders to call their card-issuing banks immediately if their credit/debit cards are lost or stolen. 

The police also advise the following measures to adopt to prevent unauthorised use of their cards: 

• Opt for an SMS to be sent to your handphone for any charges incurred on your credit / debit card;
• Check bank statements and alert the bank immediately should there be any discrepancies or fraudulent charges; and
• Do not give out your credit/debit card details to strangers.

The police also remind merchants and sales staff to exercise vigilance and adopt correct card acceptance procedures when processing credit/debit card transactions.

They should look out for the name and security features on the card face and should contact their processing bank immediately for advice if they detect anything suspicious.