Man arrested for using another person's credit card to make transactions of more than $4.2k

A 37-year-old man has been arrested for his suspected involvement in using another person’s credit card to make unauthorised transactions for retail purchases amounting to more than $4,200.

The police said in a statement that they received a report on Nov 26 from a victim who had discovered several unauthorised transactions had been made with his missing credit card.

Through investigations, officers from the Commercial Affairs Department established the identity of the man and arrested him on Dec 5.

A mobile phone and two pieces of jewellery, which are believed to have been purchased using the victim’s credit card, one transaction receipt, and cash were seized as case exhibits.

If convicted of cheating, the man faces a jail term of up to 10 years, and a fine.

The police reminded members of the public to safeguard their belongings in public. Merchants and sales staff are advised 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 contact their processing bank immediately for advice if they detect anything suspicious.

The police also advised all credit/debit cardholders to call their card-issuing banks immediately if their credit/debit cards are lost or stolen, and to adopt the following measures to prevent unauthorised use of their cards: 

• Opt for an SMS notification to be sent to your mobile phone 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.