On Tuesday (27 Oct), the Singapore Police Force (SPF) arrested three men, aged between 25 and 36-years-old, believed to be members of a transnational scam syndicate.
The men committed payment fraud across Singapore using stolen debit and credit card details, spending the money on graphics cards, iPhones, and other mobile phones.
On 26 Oct at around 7.45pm, the police received a call for assistance from a retail establishment along Rochor Canal Road.
One of the men had earlier successfully purchased two graphics cards valued at over S$2,700 from a retail store using a mobile wallet.
Source: Nana Dua on Pexels, for illustration purposes only
The 36-year-old man returned about an hour later and attempted to purchase other IT components valued at over $4,000.
Suspicious of his behaviour, the store staff alerted the security officers on duty, who detained the man and called for the police.
Source: ready made on Pexels, for illustration purposes only
Police investigations revealed that the 36-year-old man received instructions through a mobile application to carry out high-end product purchases.
After the purchase, the man handed the fraudulent items to his accomplices waiting in a getaway vehicle, before heading back to the store.
Through follow-up investigations, Central Police Division officers identified the two male accomplices, aged 25 and 27.
The accomplices left the area in a rented vehicle.
They were separately arrested on 27 Oct in the transit area of Changi Airport, before they could depart Singapore.
Source: Pijong on Pexels, for illustration purposes only
Further investigations revealed that the two men also committed at least one other payment fraud at a separate retail store.
After the arrest, the police seized two GeForce RTX 5070 graphics cards, an iPhone 18 Pro Max, and several other mobile phones from the men’s possession as case exhibits.
Source: Singapore Police Force
On 28 Oct, the court will charge the three men with abetment of conspiracy to cheat under Section 420 read with Section 109 of the Penal Code 1871.
This punishment carries an imprisonment term of up to ten years and a fine.
Image by MS News
The SPF noted that it is a serious offence to defraud retailers and that they take a serious view of any potential scammers and fraudsters.
Additionally, perpetrators will be dealt with in accordance with the law.
The police advise the public to be prudent when making online payments using their card details.
When shopping online, visit reliable websites and do not disclose sensitive banking information to anyone.
Source: Negative Space on Pexels, for illustration purposes only
Those whose credit or debit cards are lost or stolen should immediately call their card-issuing banks to freeze them.
Beyond that, the police advise the public to take the following measures to avoid falling prey to scams.
First, cardholders should keep their credit or debit cards secure and with them at all times. They are also encouraged to opt in for SMS notifications, especially for charges made on their cards.
Bank statements should also be checked regularly, and any discrepancies or unauthorised charges should be reported to the bank immediately.
It is also important not to click on URL links in unsolicited emails and text messages, or to give out card details to unknown persons. One-time passwords (OTPs) should never be shared with anyone.
Lastly, cards should not be left exposed. If possible, they should be kept in a purse or wallet until the owner is ready to make a purchase.
Also read: S’porean man caught money laundering via unauthorised computer access to be charged in court
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Featured image adapted from Kindel Media on Pexels and Singapore Police Force.