Man arrested after cheating Carousell user into paying $6k deposit for Rolex and going MIA

A 29-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday (April 21) for cheating after he allegedly received deposit payments for Rolex watches he had advertised for sale and then became uncontactable.

The police received a report from a victim on April 18, informing that he had been cheated by an online seller who advertised Rolex watches for sale on Carousell.

The victim was allegedly cheated by the online seller into making deposit payments of $6,000 in total through PayNow transfers to the seller.

After receiving the payments, the online seller became uncontactable.

Through investigations, officers from Ang Mo Kio Police Division established the seller's identity and arrested him.

"Preliminary investigations revealed that the man may be involved in other similar cheating cases," said the police.

The man will be charged in court on Friday with cheating, which carries a jail term of up to 10 years and a fine.

Members of the public are advised 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 licence 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.