An 18-year-old teenager has been arrested for his alleged involvement in at least 11 cases of e-commerce scams involving Ed Sheeran, Maroon 5 and Blackpink concert tickets.

Victims had responded to the listings on online marketplace platform Carousell.

However, they did not receive the tickets after making payment via bank transfer.

In a statement yesterday, the police said they received several reports between Feb 13 and March 2.

The teenager was arrested by officers from the Commercial Affairs Department on Wednesday. He is believed to have cheated victims of $5,400 in total.

He will be charged in court with cheating. If convicted, the teenager faces up to 10 years in jail and a fine.

In the statement, police reminded members of the public to keep in mind that the party they are dealing with online is a stranger.

The police said that before performing a transaction on an online shopping site, the public should find out how the site safeguards a user’s interests or can help resolve disputes.

Buyers should insist on cash on delivery, especially if responding to online classified advertisements, the police said. If advance payments are required, buyers should use shopping platforms that provide arrangements to release payment to the seller only upon receipt of the item.

The police said buyers should also be aware that although sellers may provide a copy of an identification card or driver’s licence to gain their trust, it may not necessarily belong to the person communicating with them online.

Scammers may use a local bank account to enhance their credibility. However, the owner of the account may not be the person communicating with buyers online.

For more information on scams, the public can visit scamalert.sg or call the Anti-Scam hotline on 1800-722-6688.

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

Choo Yun Ting

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