5 arrested, suspected of running face mask scams online
A 22-year-old man was charged in court yesterday with cheating a customer over surgical masks.
Singaporean Kyle Nathaniel Singh Kasminder faces one count of cheating and is accused of deceiving one Cai Weijie into transferring $84 to him for three boxes of "Sensi" surgical masks.
In a press release on Tuesday, the police said a woman and four men, including Kyle, were arrested this month for their alleged involvement in five separate e-commerce scams involving the sale of face masks on online platform Carousell.
The police said they received several reports last month from people who said they had been cheated by sellers after they had paid for face masks on Carousell. The sellers became evasive and uncontactable after the alleged victims made payments via bank transfers.
The police identified five suspects after working with Carousell. Eunice Anico Liwanag, 24, was arrested and charged in court earlier this month, with allegedly cheating a person of $80 on Carousell after claiming to be selling face masks.
Investigations against two others - a 26-year-old man allegedly involved in more than two scams amounting to about $500, and a 25-year-old man, allegedly involved in more than seven scams amounting to $1,000 - are ongoing. A 17-year-old will also be charged today. He is believed to be involved in at least five scams amounting to more than $500.
The police said they have also received more than 90 reports from people accusing a company, MedicalLex, of failing to deliver masks after customers purchased them online.
"The police take a serious view of those who take advantage of the current Covid-19 situation to perpetrate crimes. All offenders will be dealt with sternly in accordance with the law," said a police statement.
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