Singapore police have arrested a 20-year-old woman for allegedly cheating victims, who wanted to buy tickets to Universal Studios Singapore (USS) and staycation packages at Hard Rock Hotel Sentosa. The authorities said in a news release on Monday that the tickets were sold on online marketplace Carousell at a discounted rate.
The police said that the victims lodged complaints between last Thursday and Sunday. According to the victims, the suspect promised that the tickets and packages would be delivered the next day of the payment. But, the victims reported that they never received them and the seller became uncontactable after payment.
On Sunday, the police managed to identify the suspect and arrested her. The authorities said that she will be charged in court on Tuesday with cheating. If convicted, the suspect might face up to 10 years of jail along with a fine.
The police have urged the members of the public to take proper precautions when shopping online. They should purchase only from authorised sellers and take note of the terms and conditions of the sale before doing the transaction.
In case of advance payments, the authorities reminded the public to use shopping platforms that provide arrangements to only release your payment to the seller upon your receipt of the item.
Members of the public are also asked to arrange for a physical meet-up with the seller to verify the authenticity of the tickets prior to making payment. The police added that people, who would require scam-related advice can call the anti-scam helpline at 1800-722-6688 or visit www.scamalert.sg.
