Man arrested in Yishun rental scam
Vihanya Rakshika for The Straits Times
A 34-year-old man was arrested on March 13 for his suspected involvement in a rental scam.
The police, in a statement on March 14, said they received a report from a victim who had seen a Facebook advertisement offering rooms for rent at a residential unit in Yishun Ring Road.
The victim contacted the man and subsequently transferred more than $2,400 in deposits via bank transfer to him.
However, the man allegedly cancelled the agreement and failed to rent out the room as promised.
Officers from the Woodlands Police Division identified the suspect and arrested him on the same day.
The man is slated to be charged with cheating on March 15. If convicted, he could be jailed for up to 10 years or fined.
In its statement, the police reminded the public to be vigilant against rental scams and adopt precautionary measures, such as withholding advance payments until the tenancy is confirmed and visiting the rental unit to verify its existence and condition.
They should also check the identities of the people involved in the transaction, especially if they are not using the services of a licensed estate agent.
Scam cases in Singapore reached an all-time high in 2024, with 51,501 cases recorded compared with 46,563 cases the previous year.
The most common scam in 2024 was e-commerce fraud, with 11,665 cases and over $17.5 million lost, police said in their annual scam report on Feb 25.
Scam victims lost $1.1 billion in 2024, marking a record-high amount of losses suffered in a single year.
For more information on scams, visit www.scamshield.gov.sg or call the ScamShield helpline on 1799.
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