Interior designer lost $7,000 after being scammed by a fake request to renovate a school library

SINGAPORE: An interior designer was scammed by a fake school teacher. She was first asked to help where renovate the library but then asked to buy a mattress. After the incident, the designer lost $7,000. 

The 53-year-old designer said that she received a call from someone claiming to be an officer at Dunman High School. The culprit stated that the school was planning to renovate the library and asked for her help.

According to the designer, everything sounded so real. The culprit even wanted to meet her and declared that he had confirmed a time with the principal. 

While arrangements were being made for the meeting, the culprit asked the designer if she had any contact information of a mattress supplier. The culprit said that the school used to purchase from a Malaysian supplier, but the principal could no longer do the business directly. 

“I thought it was strange, but I didn’t pay much attention to it,” the designer admitted. 

Since the designer had not received any projects for nearly two months, she agreed to make the contact and assist in purchasing 210 mattresses. Afterwards, the culprit claimed that the school remitted two payments to her, totaling more than $100,000, but when she checked her account, she found she had not received anything. 

“He claimed the accounting department would notify the bank and the money would arrive within two hours,” the designer stated. 

The culprit also urged the designer that the mattress had to be shipped from Malaysia immediately. Due to this, the designer and her husband transferred $7,000 to the supplier and were promised the final payment after the goods had arrived. 

After the transaction, the designer realised that something was wrong and called the school to verify. 

“The school also said they had received several similar enquiry calls that day. That’s when I realised I’d been scammed, and I immediately called the police for help.” 

The police confirmed that they have received a report.

The punishment for cheating in Singapore can be imprisonment for up to 3 years and/or a fine.