SINGAPORE: A 32-year-old man was arrested by police on Tuesday (4 Apr) under suspicion of rental fraud after collecting a hefty rental deposit and abruptly cancelling the rental agreement.
According to Channel 8 News, the victim registered to rent a flat in a Telegram group. The suspect then contacted the victim and informed them that he had a room for rent in a unit at Yishun Avenue 11.
The man sought a hefty $11,000 as a deposit, and the unsuspecting victim sent him the sum via bank transfer. The suspect, however, cancelled the agreement, leading the victim to file a police report.
The police confirmed the identity of the suspect and promptly arrested him. The suspect will be charged in court today (6 April) and may face up to ten years in prison and a fine if convicted.
This latest case of rental fraud comes just weeks after 13 individuals, suspected of participating in rental scams worth more than S$1.3 million, were arrested by the police during a four-day enforcement operation across the island.
According to the police, scammers would pose as legitimate property agents and trick victims into paying money to secure the rental of a unit before viewing the property.
The police have urged the public to take precautions when scheduling appointments to view properties, such as downloading the ScamShield app, setting transaction limits on Internet banking transactions, and enabling two-factor or multifactor authentication for banks, social media, and Singpass accounts.
To confirm the authenticity of a property listing, it is advised to liaise only with property agents listed on the Council of Estate Agencies (CEA) public register using the registered phone number.