Man arrested for failing to deliver NTUC vouchers after victims made payment, selling rental digital camera

A 26-year-old man has been arrested for his suspected involvement in several cases of cheating.

The police said in a statement that between Mar 19 to 26, they received multiple reports from victims who were allegedly cheated by an online seller who had advertised the sale of discounted NTUC vouchers.

The seller then failed to deliver the vouchers after the victims had made payment.

On Apr 5, the police received a report from a victim who had failed to receive a rental digital camera from the man after the agreed period of rental.

The man had allegedly collected the camera and sold it to a second-hand dealer.

The man was identified and arrested on Apr 7 and one digital camera was seized as a case exhibit. 

Preliminary investigations revealed that the man is allegedly involved in other similar cases.

The offence of cheating carries a jail term of up to 10 years and a fine.

The police 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.