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Man to be charged after at least 15 buyers on Carousell lost some S$50,000 on branded shoes

SINGAPORE — A 37-year-old suspect involved in a series of online retail scams will be charged on Friday (May 21) with cheating. He allegedly tried to sell discounted branded shoes on e-marketplace Carousell but did not deliver on the goods.

A screen capture of a listing by the suspect. The police said that they received several reports in May from victims who lost money to a seller on Carousell.

A screen capture of a listing by the suspect. The police said that they received several reports in May from victims who lost money to a seller on Carousell.

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SINGAPORE — A 37-year-old suspect involved in a series of online retail scams will be charged on Friday (May 21) with cheating. He allegedly tried to sell discounted branded shoes on e-marketplace Carousell but did not deliver on the goods.

The police said on Thursday that they have received several reports in May from victims who were allegedly cheated by a seller on Carousell who was peddling limited-edition branded shoes at a discounted price.

After payments were made via bank transfers as well as e-payment applications PayNow or Paylah, the seller did not deliver the items.

Officers from the Commercial Affairs Department established the identity of the man and arrested him on Wednesday after thorough investigations and close collaboration with Carousell.

Early investigations by the authorities found that the man is believed to have cheated more than 15 victims of more than S$50,000.

If found guilty of cheating, he could be jailed up to 10 years and fined.

The police said that they take a serious view of people who are involved in scams.

They advised the public to be very careful when making purchases online. They should opt for buyer protection where available and avoid making advance payments or direct bank transfers to the seller.

The police warned that scammers may also entice buyers to contact them directly through messaging apps by offering a “better or faster deal if bank transfer payments are made directly to them”. Buyers should refrain from doing so.

They should make purchases from authorised sellers or reputable sources, especially for high-value items.

“If the price is too good to be true, it probably is,” the police said.

Those with information on scams may call the police hotline at 1800-255 0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness.    

Related topics

court scam police Carousell retail online scam

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