Man arrested for allegedly cheating Carousell users in at least 20 e-scooter scams
PUBLISHED ONNovember 20, 2019 1:37 AMByPrisca Ang
SINGAPORE - A 27-year-old man was arrested on Monday (Nov 18) for his suspected involvement in a series of e-commerce scams involving e-scooters that were listed at discounted prices on online marketplace Carousell.
The police said in a statement on Tuesday that they received several reports between October and November this year from victims who had purchased these e-scooters on Carousell.
The victims were unable to contact the seller after they paid deposits on the e-scooters via bank transfers.
The man, who was arrested by officers from the Commercial Affairs Department, is believed to be involved in at least 20 cases of e-commerce scams in which victims were cheated of a total of $4,500.
He is expected to be charged in court on Wednesday with cheating, which carries a fine and a jail term of up to 10 years.
In its statement, the police advised members of the public to take precautions when they make online purchases.
Before performing transactions on a website, consumers should remember that the party they are dealing with is a stranger, and find out how the website safeguards their interests or can help them to resolve disputes.
Members of the public should also insist on cash on delivery, especially if they are responding to online classified advertisements. If advance payment is required, they should use shopping platforms that allow them to pay the seller only when they receive the item.
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They should also remember that although sellers might provide a copy of an identification card or driver's licence, these documents might not belong to them.
Scammers might also use a local bank account to appear more credible, but the owner of the account might be someone else.
For more information on scams, go to scamalert.sg or call the anti-scam hotline on 1800-722-6688.
To provide information on scams, go to www.police.gov.sg/iwitness or call the police hotline on 1800-255-0000.
This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.