SINGAPORE - A 29-year-old man has been arrested over his alleged role in a cheating case involving the sale of counterfeit luxury goods.
The police said on Monday (Dec 13) that a victim had made a police report on Aug 27 this year claiming that she had been cheated by a seller on online marketplace Carousell into buying a purported luxury bag.
"The seller had claimed that the luxury bag was authentic during their correspondence," said the police.
The victim told the police last Thursday that the same seller had allegedly used another Carousell account to sell counterfeit luxury goods.
Officers from the Woodlands Police Division then arrested the man on Sunday. Cash amounting to $4,050, as well as counterfeit luxury goods, including bags, shoes and jewellery, were seized during the operation.
"Preliminary investigations revealed that the man is believed to be involved in other similar cases," said the police.
The man will be charged in court with cheating on Tuesday. If found guilty, he can be jailed for up to 10 years and fined.
The police said members of the public should take the following precautions when making online purchases:
- Use payment options that release money to the seller only upon delivery, and avoid making advance payments or direct bank transfers to the seller.
- Be mindful that 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 buyers with a copy of an NRIC or driver's licence in an attempt to prove that they are genuine sellers.
- Buy only from authorised sellers or reputable sources, especially for high-value items.
Members of the public can visit scamalert.sg or call 1800-722-6688 for more information.
Those with information on scams can call the police on 1800-255-0000 or submit details at this website.
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