A total of 34 persons aged between 16 and 75 are being investigated for their suspected involvement in various online scams, said the Singapore police on Thursday (Jun 25).
Following an island-wide operation conducted between Jun 22 and 24, the suspected 24 men and 10 women are believed to be involved in 88 cases of online scams involving more than S$165,000.
Some of the suspects are believed to have posed as online sellers of baby products or electronic gadgets, and did not deliver the products to buyers after receiving payment, said police. Others are believed to have been recruited from online job portals or social networking websites to become “Money Mules”.
According to police, “Money Mules” describes those who have allowed their bank accounts to be used by criminal syndicates to receive and transfer money to and from unknown sources. In doing so, they would have assisted in the commission of an offence, police added.
The suspects will be investigated for the offence of Cheating which carries a punishment of 10 years in jail and a fine, or money laundering offences, which carry a punishment of imprisonment for up to 10 years and a fine of up to S$500,000 as well.
Director of Commercial Affairs Department, Mr David Chew, said: “Police take a serious view against those who intentionally use the online marketplace to commit crimes and will not hesitate to prosecute them. Account holders who are aware that their accounts are being used to transfer proceeds of crime will also be taken to task for money laundering.”
The police would like to advise members of public to be vigilant when engaging in any form of online activity on social media applications or on online shopping platforms. To avoid becoming a victim of such scams, police say:
- Be wary of strangers who befriend you online.
- Never give your bank and credit card details and personal information to anyone you do not know or have not checked out.
- When purchasing, always check the track record of the party you are dealing with.
- Use reputable sites and payment platforms with established refund policies.
- Avoid making advance payments. If advance payments are necessary, insist on getting a contact number so that you may verify the beneficiary’s identity.
Source: www.channelnewsasia.com
