A man who cheated another man of five boxes of durian but failed to deliver the order was charged in court on Thursday (Mar 3).
The man, Ho Teck Lai, 31, is believed to be involved in similar cases where he posed as an online durian seller, cheating buyers of their cash.
He was remanded for investigations, reported Channel News Asia.
His one count of cheating involved persuading a man into transferring S$87 to him through PayNow for five boxes of durian on Feb 14, 2022.
The courts heard Ho didn’t actually have any durians for sale.
The police arrested Ho on Wednesday (Mar 2) through extensive follow-up investigations, said the Singapore Police Force (SPF) in a media release.
SPF believe Ho is involved in another case of cheating using a similar method of selling an electronic item he didn’t have.
Furthermore, Ho was under remission at the time of the alleged offence. His remission began on Aug 2, 2021, and would end on Jun 20, 2022; therefore, his jail sentence would be increased if found guilty.
The offence of cheating carries an imprisonment term that may extend to ten years and a fine.
Ho is scheduled to return to court next week.
SPF reminded members of the public to take precautions when making online purchases.
“If the price is too good to be true, it probably is. Purchase only from authorised sellers or reputable sources, especially for high-value items,” said SPF.
Customers can also opt for buyer protection by using built-in payment options that only release payment to the seller upon delivery. Whenever possible, buyers should avoid making advance payments or direct bank transfers to the seller.
Scammers may entice buyers to contact them directly through messaging platforms such as WhatsApp or WeChat by offering a better or faster deal if bank transfer payments are made directly to them, said SPF.
Scammers may also use a local bank account or provide a copy of an NRIC/driver’s licence to make you believe that they are genuine sellers. “Do not fall for it!” the police added.
For more information on scams, members of the public can visit scamalert.sg or call the Anti-Scam Hotline at 1800-722-6688. 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