Man allegedly sold 360k worth of fake MBS hotel packages | The New Paper
Singapore

Man allegedly sold 360k worth of fake MBS hotel packages

This article is more than 12 months old

A 27-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of selling more than $360,000 worth of fake Marina Bay Sands (MBS) hotel packages through the e-commerce platform Carousell.

The arrest was made after the police received several reports earlier this month from people saying they had been cheated by an online seller advertising MBS hotel packages at a discount on the reselling platform.

The man allegedly waited until the victims paid him via bank transfer or PayNow or Paylah before cutting off contact and making off with their cash.

The police said investigators from the Commercial Affairs Department identified the man and arrested him yesterday.

Preliminary investigations into the case revealed at least eight instances of cheating, said the police.

The man is scheduled to be charged in court today with the offence of cheating, which carries a prison term of up to 10 years and a fine.

BUYER PROTECTION

To avoid online scams, the police advise the public to opt for buyer protection by using payment options that release money to the seller only on delivery of the item, and to avoid making payments to sellers directly or in advance.

They also said scammers often lure buyers by offering better or faster deals for direct payments.

For more information on scams, members of the public can call the anti-scam hotline on 1800-722-6688. - THE STRAITS TIMES

COURT & CRIME