Singapore — After a series of incidents involving bogus hotel bookings conducted through e-commerce platform Carousell and social media with an estimated S$430,000 lost, the authorities have confirmed arresting two individuals linked to the scam.
Amid the ongoing travel restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it appears that scammers have found an opportunity and began targeting those in need of a staycation.
In a Facebook post on Dec 13, the Sengkang Neighbourhood Police Centre issued a crime alert for the hotel room reservation scam.
“Avoid making a hotel room reservation through an unofficial website or third party seller as you may be scammed. If unsure, contact the hotel to verify the offer,” said the police.
Those planning a staycation are advised to refrain from making bank transfers for hotel reservations or ensure that the payment window is done through a secure platform.
“If the offer is too good to be true, it’s probably a scam,” reminded the police.
Members from the online community began commenting on the post, noting they fell victim to the scam.
A member of the public shared that she paid three weeks before the planned staycation only to receive a message the day before regarding a person testing positive for Covid-19, and therefore, no room was available.
“Lesson learnt and not going to book again in Carousell and all the cheap booking. A big scam! Ruined our plans,” the woman added.
Two individuals arrested
In a press release on Friday (Dec 16), the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said that a 45-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman had been arrested for their suspected involvements in two separate series of non-fulfilment of hotel room package bookings after payments were made.
The police received multiple reports in December 2021 regarding victims spotting the man’s purported advertisement for hotel bookings on Carousell.
After liaising with him through WhatsApp and paying for the room reservation through bank transfers and PayNow, the victims never received a confirmation.
Officers from Woodlands Police Division established the man’s identity and arrested him on Dec 15.
Preliminary investigations revealed that he was allegedly involved in at least 29 similar cases, with total reported losses amounting to S$30,000.
He will be charged in court with cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which carries a penalty of up to 10 years imprisonment and a fine.
In a separate case, victims reported a seller offering discounted hotel room booking packages for popular Singapore hotels through a social media account.
After payments were made through bank transfers and PayNow, the victims also never received a confirmation.
Officers from the Commercial Affairs Department established the woman’s identity and arrested her for the offence of cheating. She is currently assisting with investigations, said SPF.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the woman is believed to be involved with more than 300 non-fulfilment of hotel room package bookings, with total reported losses amounting to more than S$400,000.
SPF uploaded a screenshot of the sample messages received by the victims. In one of the conversations, the scammer advised the client not to call the hotel for confirmation, which is an example of a red flag.
“Avoid making an impulsive booking and purchase only from an authorised dealer or reputable sources,” said SPF.
Furthermore, members of the public can check with official sources such as the Singapore Tourism Board and the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore if the vendor is an accredited travel agent.
Interested clients can also opt for escrow payment, where funds are only released after the buyer confirms the receipt of the product or service.
“The police take a serious view of persons who may be involved in scams and frauds, and perpetrators will be dealt with in accordance with the law,” said SPF
Anyone with information on such scams may call the Police Hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness. /TISG
Read related: SPF: Traffic summons with PayNow QR code not a scam