Japanese anime trading cards ordered online not delivered after payment, man arrested for cheating
A 32-year-old man was arrested for a series of cheating cases involving the online sale of Japanese anime trading cards and admission tickets to Resorts World Sentosa.
Between Aug 10 and 14, the police received several reports from people purportedly cheated by an online seller on Facebook and Carousell, who allegedly failed to deliver the items after payments were made.
Through follow-up investigations, officers from Ang Mo Kio Police Division established the identity of the man and arrested him on Aug 15. Preliminary investigations revealed that the man is believed to be involved in other similar cases.
He was to be charged in court on Aug 16 with cheating, which carries an imprisonment term of up to 10 years and a fine.
You are advised to take the following 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.
- Opt for buyer protection by using in-built payment options that release payment to the seller only upon delivery. Whenever possible, avoid making advance payments or direct bank transfers to the seller as this method does not offer any protection.
- 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. They may also use a local bank account or provide a copy of a NRIC or driver's license to make you believe that they are genuine sellers. Do not fall for it!
