Man jailed for cheating victims of almost S$200,000 in timeshare recovery scams

SINGAPORE — A 35-year-old man was sentenced to 13 months' jail on Thursday (Oct 3) for carrying out a series of timeshare recovery scams.

Between 2012 and 2013, Mohammad Herianto Abdul Hamid tricked 16 timeshare owners into handing over nearly S$200,000 in termination and recovery fees.

At the time, he worked as a sales representative at Fine Harvest and as a sales manager at Khoo and Krishnan Associates.

Both companies purported to offer timeshare recovery services.

"While working at these two companies, Mohammad Herianto made various false representations to potential customers to deceive them into paying for timeshare recovery services," police said.

He made material misrepresentations that the companies had been appointed by timeshare developers to terminate the timeshare memberships and that they had successfully helped other customers terminate their memberships and recover their money.

He also showed them false documents purportedly issued by a third-party company which stated the amounts the customers could recover.

"In fact, Mohammed Herianto knew that no money would be recovered for the customers," said the police.

The 16 timeshare customers he tricked were unable to recover their timeshare membership investments and lost their recovery fees.

On Thursday, Mohammad Herianto pleaded guilty to nine counts of cheating offences, while 19 other counts were taken into consideration.

Two accomplices were also charged with cheating offences and court proceedings against them are ongoing.

The police advised members of the public to be "vigilant" if they receive unsolicited calls from people purporting to help them recovery money from their timeshare memberships.

They should conduct background checks on a company's track record before engaging their services and request proper documentation. on proposals. representations, contracts and agreements.

People are also warned against providing personal information to unknown callers and to check with their timeshare developer if the caller is authorised to deal with their membership. CNA

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